Libyan President Moammar Ghadafi abruptly canceled plans to attend a summit of Asian-African leaders in Jakarta after Indonesia denied him permission to deliver a religious sermon at a mosque, a report said.
"We deeply regret that the Libyan president cannot come," the Antara news agency quoted Indonesian official Muhyiddin Junaidi as saying. "His main reason is the Indonesian government does not give him permission to deliver a sermon during the Friday prayers at the Istiqlal mosque."
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had initially approved Ghadafi to deliver the sermon in Southeast Asia's largest mosque, but changed his mind after Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni objected, Antara cited Muhyiddin as saying, without elaborating.
Officials at the Libyan embassy confirmed that Ghadafi would not be coming but refused to give any reasons. Indonesian foreign ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
The summit opened 22. April 2005 in the Indonesian capital, drawing together leaders and representatives of 80 nations.
Source: Antara News
