Libya says won't go to summit in Saudi Arabia

CAIRO, Mar 4 (Reuters) Libya has told the Arab League it will not attend an Arab summit in Saudi Arabia this month because of a change in venue, Arab diplomats today said.

The Arab summit in Khartoum last year said the annual meeting this year would take place in Egypt, where the Arab League has its headquarters. But Saudi Arabia, which will hold the chairmanship, later offered to host the event in Riyadh and the Arab League accepted the invitation.

Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam said: ''There was a summit decision in Khartoum that the next meeting would be held in the headquarters country (Egypt), then they move it to Saudi Arabia. On what basis? Who made this decision and how was it made?'' He was speaking to Cairo reporters who asked him why Libya would not attend the summit.

Libya and Saudi Arabia have had poor relations for some years, especially after allegations that a group of Libyans plotted to assassinate King Abdullah in 2003 when he was crown prince. Libya said it had nothing to do with any such plot.

The Libyan minister also complained about the hostile attention that some Arab governments have been giving Iran.

''Iran has now become the enemy of the Arabs instead of Israel -- what's this nonsense?'' he said.

REUTERS SHB BST1955