Over March 29-30, the 20th Arab Submit was held in Damascus as it was attended by only 11 Arab leaders. Among the absent leaders are the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz whose country is to receive the credentials of the next summit, Egyptian President Housni Mubark and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The summit was inaugurated on Saturday by the speech the Syrian President Bashshar Al-Asad whose country hosts the summit. Later, other Arab leaders and delegations delivered their speeches and all stressed the importance of having a united stance of the different Arab issues.

They also called Fatah and Hamas for reconciliation and to patch up their differences because both face the same enemy. Likewise, they ask the Lebanese parties to hasten electing a president, a post that has been vacant since last November.

By Saturday evening, Arab leaders and delegations held a closed session to dicuss the agenda of the Arab submit. Al-Asad also made a dinner banquet in honor of the participating delegations.

Observers stress that the differences over Lebanon issue prompted Saudi King and Egyptian President to boycott Damascus's summit, claiming that Syria is interfering in Lebanese affairs. Others hint that this was made under American directives.

They also declare that President Saleh's absence was prompted by the unwelcoming attitude of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen of the Yemeni initiative, aiming to end the differences between the Palestinian factions.

Unlike the reconciling attitude of most Arab leaders including that of Al-Asad, Libyan President Mu'amer Al-Qadhafi harshly criticized the Arab disintegration, hinting they have no agreement even over a single issue.