Arab League: We Were Not Asked to Mediate Between Libya and Lebanon Over Tripoli's Boycott of Beirut Summit.

Cairo, 16 January 2019(Lana) The League of Arab States has confirmed that it had not been asked to mediate between Libya and Lebanon over Tripoli's decision to boycott the Arab Economic and Social Summit planned for Jan.20. The Secretary General was not asked to mediate in the boycott by Tripoli of the summit, the Spokesman for the Arab League Secretary General Mahmud Afifi said. 'Libya has officially announced it was not attending the summit over the burning by Amal Movement of the Libyan flag, the Spokesman said, describing the burning incident as deplorable. 'The Libyan side considered the act an insult of a symbol of the state, thus decided not to attended, Afifi said. However, the GNA Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a statement in which it outlined its decision not to attend the Arab League economic summit in Beirut. The statement outlined the reasons that made Tripoli take the decision including undermining the Libyan flag, banning Libyan business delegation from entering Lebanese territories and attending a business forum by Arab Chambers, unwarranted onslaught by some official Lebanese parties on participation of Libya in the summit under false pretexts, and the total absence of protocol arrangements to protect the Libyan delegation. The Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abu Al Ghaith expressed on Monday his deep dismay over the burning of the Libyan flag in the Lebanese capital, saying the burning of an Arab state flag was by no means acceptable, especially in an Arab country, and differences in vision or political motives could not justify burning of an Arab flag, the symbol of a state. Abu Alghaith called on Lebanon, the host state, to seek to ensure respect of all delegations of member states. =Lana=