71.   All except Qatar have announced they will attend the summit.

72.   Also attending the summit as observers are foreign ministers from Egypt, Libya, South Africa and Qatar, the current chair of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

73.   Also attending the summit was European Commission President Jacques Santer.

74.   And President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, whose moderate views on the Arab-Israeli conflict are prized by U.S. administrations, decided not to attend the summit.

75.   Annan, who attended the summit at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik, was expected to return to New York late Wednesday.

76.   Annan is in Abu Dhabi to attend a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council that opens Monday.

77.   Apart from the foreign minister, Iraqi Vice President Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri is also attending the summit.

78.   Annan arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to attend a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a federation of six Arab Gulf states.

79.   Arafat and el-Bashir are expected to leave for Burkina Faso to attend a summit Monday of the Organization of African Unity on due Monday.

80.   Arafat was in Sri Lanka on a goodwill visit after attending a summit of Islamic leaders in Pakistan.