Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak offered Sunday to meet fellow Arab leaders anywhere, "even on the moon," in order to settle on a venue that has eluded them since their summit collapsed in Tunis last week.
Morocco could be a compromise location, an Arab diplomat said, in an effort to break the deadlock between the Arab states that back Egypt's offer to stage the summit and those who support Tunisia's right to host the event.
Nevertheless, a rescheduled summit is unlikely before May, Mubarak said after talks here with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mubarak, smiling to reporters, said it was up to Arab leaders to set a venue, but he did not mind if the summit were held "in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, in any Arab country, and even on the moon."
He said his offer for Egypt to host the summit was aimed at "saving the situation and preventing protests in Arab countries." Some Arabs had looked to the summit to take a tough line on Israel after its forces assassinated Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin on March 22.
Tunisia, as rotating president of the Arab League, has insisted on its right to hold the summit. It blamed its collapse on the failure of Arab foreign ministers to agree on proposals Tunis deemed essential for ME political reform.
Mubarak said he and Assad, who returned to Damascus after a brief visit, "agreed that a summit must be held," although he added that it was unlikely before May because of travel and other commitments by Arab leaders.
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