CAIRO
Arab foreign and defense ministers will meet in Cairo late August to discuss the proposed formation of a joint Arab force, an Arab League official said Monday.
“A joint meeting of the Arab foreign and defense ministers will be held on August 27,” Ahmed bin Heli, deputy secretary-general of the Arab League, told reporters.
He said the date of the meeting was set following consultations between the league secretariat, Egypt – the current chair of the Arab League – and a number of Arab countries.
An Arab diplomatic source earlier said that the meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, had been postponed due to other appointments of a number of Arab ministers.
The meeting had been scheduled to discuss the protocol governing the formation of a joint Arab force with a view to fighting “terrorist” groups.
The chiefs of staff of Arab armies agreed in May to form the force, which was first proposed by Egypt during an Arab summit in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in March.
When they approved the force formation, Arab leaders said it would be tasked with protecting Arab security and fighting terrorism.
