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Saudi King to Skip Arab Summit
By Mariam Fam
The Wall Street Journal
DAMASCUS, Syria -- Saudi Arabia said King Abdullah won't attend this weekend's Arab League summit here, a message of displeasure to the meeting's host that raises already long odds
the gathering will help solve a stalemate in Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the Arab League said he would represent his country at the summit of Arab heads of state that kicks off Saturday, instead of the Saudi
king or the country's foreign minister.
• What's New? Saudi Arabia says its king won't attend an Arab League summit this weekend, signaling displeasure at the host, Syria .
• What Does It Mean? Riyadh will send a
lower-level diplomat, raising the odds against a deal over Lebanon 's political standoff.
• What's Next? Arab heavyweight Egypt has yet to say who will represent it at the summit, and Lebanon 's participation is still a
question mark.
The Arab League, headed by former Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, has tried to broker a deal in Lebanon and is expected to push again for a solution at this weekend's gathering.
The Saudi- and
Western-backed government in Beirut and the country's opposition -- which is backed by Iran and Syria -- have failed for months to agree on how to form a government.
Critics, including the U.S. , have accused Syria ,
which occupied Lebanon for years and still exerts significant political influence, of blocking a compromise. Syria denies the charge.
Lebanese politics are governed by a power-sharing arrangement between three sects --
Maronite Christians, Shiite Muslims and Sunni Muslims -- that dictates the country's president must be Christian.
Mr. Moussa has been shuttling among his home in Cairo , Beirut and Damascus in search of a deal. In an
interview, he said he hopes the summit can pave the way for a deal on how to elevate a new president and form a government. But his failure to broker a deal has many skeptical of the Arab League's ability to cobble a compromise
this weekend, and some critics say the group is ineffective at solving regional problems.
 "We don't expect much from this summit when it comes to solving the Lebaneseproblem," said former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel, a member of the anti-Syria bloc. "We know that in general the league's
decisions largely remain on paper only."
Saudi Arabia's move makes it less likely that the Damascus meeting will be able to make much headway on the issue. It is unclear who Egypt ,
another Arab heavyweight, will send to the summit. Even Lebanese participation is in question.
Syria has invited Western-backed Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad
Siniora; some of his allies have called for a boycott of the meeting.
King Abdullah's decision to stay away from Damascus underscores Riyadh 's deepening
displeasure with Syria . In 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a strong Saudi ally, was assassinated, and a U.N. investigation pointed to Syrian involvement that Damascus has denied.
Popular protests in Lebanon against Syria after Mr. Hariri's assassination forced Damascus to end a long military occupation of Lebanon .
Meanwhile, Syria has increasingly aligned itself with Shiite Iran, making many Sunni Arab regimes uneasy. Both Syria and Iran back the Lebanese militant group and leading opposition party
Hezbollah, and they reject U.S. influence in the region.
Washington has placed economic sanctions on Iran and Syria , and it has accused Damascus of interfering in Lebanon and Iraq .
Syria says it is being cooperative in Lebanon and suggests other Arab countries need to do more to secure a deal there.
Bushra Kanafani, a Syrian foreign ministry official, said tying attendance and representation at the
summit to developments in Lebanon isn't fair when there are other pressing issues such as in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.
"Some Arab countries have more friendships in Lebanon than does Syria ," Ms. Kanafani said. "Why don't we cooperate each with [our respective] friends [in Lebanon ] to meet midway?"
Mr. Moussa said in an interview before the Saudi decision was announced that dialogue with Syria is key to progress. "We have to include Syria , not to exclude Syria ," he said.
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