Gulf states oppose Arab summit on Syria

The six Gulf Cooperation Council states said on Tuesday that they oppose a Syrian request for an emergency Arab summit on the bloody crisis in the country. The GCC "sees that the request to hold an Arab summit at this time is useless," knowing that Arab foreign ministers will meet in Rabat on Wednesday, GCC Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani said. The Arab League on Saturday voted to suspend Syria from all of the pan-Arab bloc's activities over its failure to implement a deal to end the violence which has left around 3,500 dead since March, according to UN figures. League chief Nabil al-Arabi said on Monday that he had received a letter from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem calling for an urgent Arab summit to discuss the crisis. Arab leaders have been informed of the request, the secretary general said, adding that the emergency summit can only be held if two-thirds of the bloc's members endorse the call.