Saudi Arabia to host Arab summit: Officials

Luxor (Egypt), Jan 16: Saudi Arabia has changed its mind aboutnot hosting this year's Arab summit and will now stage it in Riyadh inlate March, Arab League officials said today.

Saudi Arabia told the final session of last year's Arab Leaguemeeting in Khartoum it did not want to host the 2007 summit even thoughits turn had come under the rotation system.

It gave no reason at the time for its decision.

''I have received an official letter from the kingdom of SaudiArabia ... (saying) that the next summit will be held on specific daysin the last week of March and will be held in Riyadh,'' said ArabLeague Secretary-General Amr Moussa.

The Arab League would inform all its member governments of theSaudi decision, Moussa told reporters in the southern Egyptian town ofLuxor.

An Arab League official said no explanation of the new Saudi decision had been received.

Reuters>