BEIRUT, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League Hossam Zaki said Friday that the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit will take place on time in Beirut later this month.
"We came here to assist Lebanese authorities in the preparations for the summit," Zaki was quoted by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper, as saying.
Zaki's remarks came upon his arrival to Beirut's airport from Cairo leading a delegation from the Arab League.
Meanwhile, the summit's spokesperson and the media advisor to Lebanon's Presidency Rafic Chlala said Friday that preparations for the summit are ongoing.
"Logistic and security measures have been already taken and hotels reservations for the delegations were made," he said.
Chlala noted that some countries will be represented on a presidential level while others did not specify how they will be represented in the event yet.
Chalala also assured that Lebanon's presidency has not been informed from any Arab country to postpone the summit.
Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri suggested on Wednesday to postpone the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit "which will witness weak participation by Arab countries because of the absence of a government in Lebanon."
Berri also insisted that Syria should take part in the summit.
However, Chlala said that the Arab League decides on the participants for the summit while Lebanon is only hosting the event.
The summit organized by the Arab League is concerned primarily with developmental issues in the Arab world and it is scheduled on Jan. 19 to 20.
