LEAGUE CHARTER DOES NOT DEFINE NATIONALITY, TERM OF SECRETARY GENERAL

LEAGUE CHARTER DOES NOT DEFINE NATIONALITY, TERM OF SECRETARY GENERAL CAIRO, FEB 15 (KUNA) -- THOUGH THE ARAB LEAGUE CHARTER DOES NOT STIPULATE THE NATIONALITY NOR THE TERM OF ITS SECRETARY GENERAL, THE SPECULATIONS OVER WHO WILL BE THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL WERE UNPRECEDENTED SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEAGUE IN 1945.
AN ANNEX TO THE CHARTER NAMED ABDELRAHMAN AZZAM SECRETARY GENERAL FOR TWO YEARS AND STIPULATED THAT THE LEAGUE COUNCIL WOULD LATER DRAW UP THE RULES OF PROCEDURES OF THE SECRETARIAT.
THE COUNCIL LATER AGREED THAT THE SECRETARY GENERAL SHALL BE ELECTED FOR A RENEWABLE FIVE-YEAR TERM AND SHALL BE NAMED BY THE TWO THIRDS OF THE LEAGUE MEMBER STATES.
THOUGH THERE IS NO TEXT ON THE NATIONALITY OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL, IT BECAME A CUSTOM THAT THE TOP ARAB DIPLOMAT SHALL BE FROM THE HEADQUARTER-HOSTING STATE.
AZZAM WAS THUS SECRETARY GENERAL IN 1945-52, ABDELKHALEQ HASSOUNA IN 1952-72 AND MAHMOUD RIYADH IN 1972-79. (MORE) MFM.SMA.RD.MAB KUNA 152238 Feb 01NNNN