Gadhafi arrives, walks out of opening session, comments 

(22 May 2004)
1. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi arriving at summit
2. Wide shot interior of venue, people seated
3. Interior, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, zoom into Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
4. King Abdullah II of Jordan, pan across
5. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sitting
6. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal
7. Syrian President Bashar Assad
8. Pull out of Iraqi representative
9. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi smoking, zoom into to Gadhafi
10. Pull out Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
11. Morocco's King Mohammed VI, zoom in
12. Gadhafi's car leaves meeting
13. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi enters press conference
14. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan leader:
"I regret that Libya is obliged to boycott the sessions of the summit. The reasons are as follows: The non-agreement of the agenda."
15. Journalists
16. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan leader:
"If the world does not interfere to defend and protect the Palestinians, at least the Arab states should interfere to protect the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, because what is taking place in Palestine now is not a conflict, war - it is sheer genocide, complete genocide, massacre to our people. And the same thing is happening in Iraq."
17. Flag
18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Saeb Erekat, Palestinian Cabinet Minister:
"The atrocities and the crimes committed against our people in Rafah deserve the strongest condemnation from President Bush and the American administration. The crimes committed, the killing of 55 people, mostly women and children, the demolition of homes, the eviction of thousands of people from their homes, I think deserve the full and strong condemnation of the American administration."
19. Road, flags and summit sign
20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Amr Moussa, Secretary-General, Arab League:
"The Arab position is clear. They cannot accept what's going on in Gaza, they can not accept the flouting of the basic principles of a settlement."
21. Cameraman
22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Amr Moussa, Secretary-General, Arab League:
"As for Iraq, we will see what Lakhdar Brahimi will come up with. We are ready to help the UN but we help genuine change."
23. Road outside venue, soldier, summit sign
STORYLINE:
Arab leaders meeting on Saturday for their annual summit were united in outrage over the prisoner abuse scandal in U.S.-occupied Iraq, according to draft resolutions that also condemned terrorism, reiterated calls for Arab-Israeli peace and put Arab nations on the road to political and economic reform.
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali opened the session, saying Arabs "look forward to results that would rise to their ambitions of cooperation and solidarity," but signs of the divisions that have long troubled inter-Arab relations quickly emerged.
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi walked out of the opening session while Amr Moussa, the Egyptian Arab League secretary-general, was still speaking.
Diplomats said the Libyan leader was apparently irked by Moussa's criticism of Arabs who act unilaterally - a veiled reference to Libya's decision to renounce its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Eight other leaders didn't show up, including four for apparent political reasons.
Gadhafi's motorcade left the summit venue, brakes screeching.
Later on he switched his trademark flowing brown robe and cap for a white business suit and black collarless shirt, and called a news conference in which he ridiculed the gathering and threatened to pull Libya out of the Arab League.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...