An Arab League delegation left for Baghdad Monday on a four-day visit to prepare for the league's 23rd summit, which the Iraqi capital will host in late March. The 12-member delegation headed by deputy chief Ahmed Ben Helli includes Ambassador Samir Saif al-Yazal, the assistant secretary general for administrative control and other officials. Ben Helli said the delegation will finish preparations for the summit. He said visitors will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other senior officials from Iraq's foreign ministry to discuss arrangements for the event, which had been postponed last year. The visit comes to emphasize the eagerness of the league and Baghdad eagerness to hold the summit on time, Ben Helli said, given developments in the Arab region following popular revolts. The Arab League usually holds its annual summit in March. But last year, the event was called off due to the breakout of popular revolts in different Arab states. The last summit was held in March 2010 in Sirte, Libya. Some Arab diplomats doubt Iraq's capability to host the summit because of its security situation and political divisions. The current visit follows up on an earlier visit by league Secretary General Nabil al-Araby, who had previously visited Iraq as part of a Gulf tour that also included Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. Araby's Gulf trip had also discussed preparations for the March summit.
