LOC13:26
10:26 GMT
KUWAIT, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- The Arab Economic Summit has not lost its economic nature because of discussing the tragic situation in Gaza Strip, said Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on Saturday.
Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the "Private Sector and Civil Society Forum," held on the sidelines of the Arab Economic Summit, he said the situation in Gaza would be the first topic on the summit's agenda and would be followed by talks over other issues and specified drafts.
He said the measures taken by the Arab League pertaining to the global economic crisis were "very modest" and this issue would be discussed during the summit.
Asked about what he described at the "chaotic" Arab situation and how it affected the summit, Moussa said that there was a common economic interest but there remained "great chaos." He reminded of the numbers mentioned yesterday by Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salam Al-Sabah in that the Arab world had lost USD 100 billion due to the global economic risis.
"We cannot say whether or not we can regain this money, but the issue requires a long time," he said. (end) kt KUNA 171326 Jan 09NNNN