The annual summit of Gulf Arab states will be held in Qatar in early December, not in Oman as previously planned, the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council said on Monday.  Qatar and its Gulf partners have accepted to a request by Oman that the GCC summit take place in Doha, on the understanding that Muscat will host the 2008 gathering, Abdulrahman al-Attiyah told AFP.

Sources close to the Omani government said Muscat had asked for the change because it is rebuilding infrastructure and facilities damaged by a June cyclone.

Oman has said the damage caused by Cyclone Gonu could rise to US$3.9 billion.

The venue of the annual end-of-year summit rotates among GCC member states and last year's meeting was hosted by Saudi Arabia.

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