DAMASCUS, Feb 28 (KUNA) -- Protesting Lebanon's presidency of the 11th session of the Arab Parliamentary Union (APU) and the 45th session of APU's council, Libya on Saturday announced its boycott of the meeting, KUNA learnt here today.

Arab Parliamentary sources told KUNA that Libya's boycott was in protest for moving the presidency of the union for the upcoming two years for Lebanon, proposing that Libya has the right to preside before Lebanon, which has already led the union in previous occasion.

A Syrian senior source has said Libya's boycott for the sessions would be of great effect on deliberations of the conference which is held amidst critical conditions.

During the council's session in Beirut in June last year, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has been elected as APU chairman starting February 2004.

Article originally published by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) 28-Feb-04