Former Palestinian minister Hanan Ashrawi is to be named official spokesperson for the Arab League soon, after being nominated by Secretary General Amr Moussa, officials of the pan-Arab organization told AFP Friday.
Moussa suggested Ashrawi at a meeting Thursday of the high commission for coordinating the Arab League's institutions, which is tasked with a shake-up of the league in the wake of Moussa’s appointment in May, participants said.
In a statement published Friday, the league said Moussa would make his proposals for improving Arab public relations known next week.
Ashrawi is known for her eloquence and ability to defend the Palestinian cause before the Western media. Her appointment would respond to the desire of Arab countries to "counter Israeli propaganda," as expressed at a meeting of information ministers in Beirut last month.
At that June 18-20 meeting, Moussa deplored the fact that through the media "the Israeli enemy has succeeded in spreading his influence throughout the world, which we have not managed to do."
Moussa, a former Egyptian foreign minister, took over as permanent head of the Arab League on May 15, and immediately voiced his intention of overhauling and invigorating the organization.
His plans, to be submitted to the Arab summit in Beirut next March, include the creation of various specialized commissions similar to the United Nations system.
League sources said he had proposed former Jordanian prime minister Taher Al Masri as commissioner for civil society.
They said Moussa had the authority to appoint Ashrawi without waiting for summit approval -- CAIRO (AFP)
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