BAGHDAD - Egypt strongly supports holding the next Arab summit due in late March in Baghdad and believes the Iraqi government is doing its best to make it a success, Egypt's envoy in Iraq said Saturday, as Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa was there to review arrangements for the meeting. "Holding the Arab summit in Iraq has a symbolic meaning as it will help this country restore its role on the Arab arena after years of absence. We do support this," said Sherif Shahin, the Egyptian ambassador in Baghdad. He commended efforts exerted by the Iraqi government to make the summit a success. "Iraq would be an additional power to the Arab world," Shahin said. Shahin's remarks came as Arab League Chief Moussa was on an official visist to Iraq to review the latest arrangements to hold the meeting. Moussa and his delegation were received by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. Later in the day, Moussa held talks with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Speaker of the Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi, as well as other leaders of the major parliamentary blocs. Meanwhile, an Iraqi group, classified by the US on top of a list of terror groups, warned Arab leaders against attending the summit in Baghdad, threatening the summiteers would be targeted. The statement lashed out at the Arab League, slamming it as "a make of the occupation forces, who sought at the time to prevent the formation of an Islamic body". About 50,000 US troops remain in Iraq, but are required under a security accord between Baghdad and Washington to withdraw by the end of the year. US forces in Iraq have mainly focused on training Iraqi forces, after combat operations in the country were officially declared over from September 1, 2010.
