1.
GV EXT..ARAB LEAGUE BUILDING
0.03

2.
SV EXT..DELEGATES ARRIVE
0.11

3.
GV MEMBERS SEATED
0.14

4.
SCU HASSOUNA
0.16

5.
SCU PALESTINE DELEGATE
0.20

6.
SCU N. YEMEN DELEGATE
0.24

7.
SCU MOROCCO DELEGATE
0.28

8.
SCU LYBIA DELEGATE
0.32

9.
SCU LEBANON DELEGATE
0.36

10.
SCU KUWAIT DELEGATE
0.40

11.
SV YEMEN DELEGATE
0.44

12.
SCU UAR DELEGATE
0.49

13.
SCU SYRIA DELEGATE
0.52

14.
SCU SAUDI ARABIA DELEGATE
0.57

15.
SCU IRAQ DELEGATE
1.00

16.
SCU SUDAN DELEGATE
1.05

17.
SCU ALGERIA DELEGATE
1.08

18.
SCU TUNISIA DELEGATE
1.13

19.
SCU JORDAN DELEGATE
1.16

20.
SV DELEGATES
1.20



Initials GEM/VS/JF/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE ARAB LEAGUE MET IN CAIRO IN ORDINARY SESSION YESTERDAY (4 MARCH) TO DISCUSS FILLING THE POST OF SECRETARY-GENERAL, CURRENTLY HELD BY MR ABDEL KHALEK HASSOUNA. MR HASSOUNA WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE POST IN 1952 AND HIS CURRENT TERM OF OFFICE ENDS ON 14 MARCH.

MR HASSOUNA MIGHT REMAIN IN OFFICE... PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LEAGUE MEMBER STATES REACHED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT LAST WEEK TO RENEW HIS TERM OF OFFICE FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. BUT HE HAS INSISTED THAT IF HE CONTINUES IN THE POST IT MUST BE FOR THE FULL TERM OF FIVE YEARS TO PRESERVE THE DIGNITY OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S POSITION.

THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT HAS MEANWHILE NOMINATED MR GAMAL MOHAMMED AHMAD, UNDERSECRETARY AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, IN KHARTOUM, FOR THE POST.

OTHER SUBJECTS ON THE AGENDA OF THE CURRENT MEETING INCLUDE DISCUSSION ON THE TERRITORY OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL DURING THE MIDDLE EAST WAR LAST JUNE AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE ARAB CHARACTER OF THE PERSIAN GULF.

THERE MIGHT ALSO BE DISCUSSION ON THE RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH WEST GERMANY, WHICH THE ARAB STATES SEVERED AFTER THE GERMANS RECOGNISED ISRAEL THREE YEARS AGO.