WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday rejected the suggestion that the United States influenced some Arab leaders to get the Arab summit postponed.
"No, we had nothing to do with it. I was hoping the summit would be able to go ahead," Powell told reporters in Washington.
"I understand it's been postponed, and I'm sure I'll be in touch with Arab foreign ministers in the course of the next day or so to get their assessment of the situation," he added.
Powell was commenting on reports in some Arab newspapers that U.S. pressure caused Arab leaders to postpone the summit, which was expected to strongly condemn the Israeli assassination of the Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin last week.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said earlier Monday the summit must be held within three weeks.
The summit was scheduled to begin Monday but on Saturday host Tunisia announced it was postponing the meeting indefinitely.
The surprising announcement followed bitter squabbling among Arab leaders over democracy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a bid to resolve the dispute, Mubarak met key Arab leaders in Cairo Monday and urged them to help save the summit.
