Arab League Indecisive on Holding Meeting over Anti-Islam Film
The Arab League didn't take any decision yet regarding Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour's request for the Arab Ministers to hold a meeting to take a “firm” decision over the anti-Islam film, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.
A high-ranking Arab diplomat said in comments published in the daily that “Mansour held talks with Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi over the matter, however, Mansour should submit an official request before inviting all the Arab ministers to such a meeting.”
“We are still at the first stages of discussions and contacts are ongoing, but we didn't reach a result so far,” the diplomat said.
The initially obscure "Innocence of Muslims," produced in the U.S., has been cited as one of the main instigators of riots that have killed 17 people across the world.
The movie mocks the Prophet Mohammed and portrays Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent.
According to the official, the meeting might not be held in Cairo as it will probably be held in the United Nations headquarters in New York on September 26 on the sidelines of the ordinary meeting of the General Assembly.
However, Mansour told the daily it would be better if the meeting was held in Cairo as it maintains the case's “central characteristics.”
The FM said that he is still waiting for al-Arabi's decision regarding the matter.
The unidentified diplomat pointed out that most Arab FMs began heading to New York to attend the General Assembly session, saying that al-Arabi is the only one authorized to take a decision concerning the location of the meeting.
He stated that the Arab League is coordinating its stances with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to push the U.N. to adopt legal measures that prevent anyone from insulting all religions.
Mansour announced on Sunday his will to call for an urgent meeting of Arab foreign ministers to denounce the film.
But his initiative was criticized by President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati, who argued that he failed to consult with them on his decision.
However, the cabinet that convened at the Baabda Palace on Monday tasked the FM to call for an Arab initiative that pushes for the adoption of international regulations that criminalize insulting all religions and prophets.
Diplomatic sources expressed fear that the Arab FMs might not respond to Lebanon's initiative for several reasons, most importantly, any statement issued by the Arab Ministerial Council can't condemn the U.S., and because most Arab countries want the Syrian crisis to remain under the spotlight.
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