February 24, 2008	Sunday	Safar 16, 1429

RIYADH, Feb 23: Saudi Arabia has decided to boycott the Arab summit scheduled for March 27-29 in Damascus, the Lebanese Almustaqbal TV station, owned by the Hariri family said.

Hariris are close to the Saudi royal family and Saad al-Hariri, the son of the slain Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri, maintains a home in Riyadh too.

According to the Almustaqbal, Riyadh has decided to boycott the summit in view of the ‘continued Syrian interference in Lebanon ’s internal affairs and its lack of support in ending the ongoing political stalemate in Lebanon’.

The situation has been worsened by the ongoing ‘war of words’ between the two important Arab nations.

Saudi Arabia has been warning Damascus that if Syria does not cooperate in ending the Lebanese crises, the Arab summit will be at risk.

With heavyweight Saudi Arabia withdrawing, more than half the Arab leaders could now be expected to avoid the summit altogether.