Saudi Arabia will not send King Abdullah or Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal to an Arab summit in Damascus later this week, Riyadh's ambassador to the Arab League Ahmad Qattan said Monday. Qattan, speaking on the margins of a preparatory meeting, said he would lead his country's delegation to the March 29-30 summit instead.

The decision to send the relatively low-ranking diplomat reflects the strained relations between Riyadh and Damascus over the deep political deadlock in Lebanon.

© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)