An urgent summit of Arab leaders is needed in order to react to developments in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Inviting Arab leaders to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh next Wednesday. Mubarak said that there was an urgent need to formulate a common Arab position on "worrisome developments" in both situations.
Arab League spokesman Hossam Zaki said it would take some time for Arab states to respond officially but he did not foresee any problems arranging the meeting. Mubarak would not have announced the event unless he was confident leaders would come, diplomats said.
A summit in Sharm el-Sheikh would also help Egypt restore the resort's image after last week's bombings which could seriously damage the lucrative Egyptian tourism industry.
Investigators say they suspect a local group, mainly of Sinai Bedouin, blamed for similar attacks which killed 34 people on resorts frequented by Israelis last October.