BEIRUT, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Political sources said that there are currently talks going on about the possibility of postponing the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit which will take place later this month in Beirut due to the absence of a government in Lebanon, Al Jumhouriya local newspaper reported Friday.
"There are talks among officials in the Secretariat of the Arab League about the possibility of postponing this event and not cancelling it because its cancellation would definitely hurt Lebanon's reputation," the sources said.
The sources added that if this information is correct then Lebanon would be wasting 22 billion Lebanese pounds (15 U.S. million dollars) spent on the organization of this event.
Meanwhile, the summit's spokesperson and the media advisor to Lebanon's Presidency Rafic Chlala announced in a Radio interview Friday that Lebanon did not receive until this moment any request from the Arab League or any other entity for postponing the summit.
"The summit is expected to be held on time on January 20," he said while adding that Lebanon has started receiving the names of participants in the event.
The Arab economic summit, an event organized by the Arab League, is concerned primarily with developmental issues in the Arab world.
