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Arab League averts crisis over reform
 The Arab League appears to have averted a crisis after Algeria withdrew a proposal for reform of the international body to introduce a rotating leadership system.
| "Arab League" and "reform" just don't seem to go together, do they? |
The organisation's so-called summit follow-up committee met in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the reforms, in advance of an extraordinary foreign ministers meeting to finalise proposals on Thursday. Removing one of the main sticking points, Algeria took a proposal off the table that would see the job of secretary-general rotate among members, rather than the job always being held by an Egyptian, as is currently the case. "We agreed that the text of the charter (of the Arab League) is sufficient, provided that the secretary-general is elected by member countries following a political consensus on the candidate," Algerian Foreign Minister Abd al-Aziz Bilkhadim said. Following talks with Bilkhadim, league Secretary-General Amr Moussa said "the dossier on the rotation of the post of general secretary is closed and will not be reopened".
Posted by: Fred 2005-01-13 |
