Ban to Join EU-Arab-African Summit on Libya Saturday

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon is to join a summit on Libya between the European Union, the Arab League and the African Union in Paris on Saturday, the head of the League's secretariat said on Friday.

"The Arab League has received an invitation from France to take part in a one-day summit between the EU, the African Union and the Arab League tomorrow to discuss the situation in Libya and how to tackle it in the light of the latest U.N. resolution," Hisham Yussef said.

"(Arab League chief Amr) Mussa will go to Paris tomorrow after voting in the referendum on amending the (Egyptian) constitution to take part in this summit which will also be joined by Ban Ki-moon," he added.

The U.N. Security Council late Thursday passed a resolution approving "all necessary measures" to impose a no-fly zone in Libya, protect civilian areas and pressure Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi into accepting a ceasefire.

Egyptians are to vote Saturday on a package of changes to the constitution inherited from ousted president Hosni Mubarak's authoritarian rule.

The referendum is intended to pave the way for fresh presidential and parliamentary elections.

Mussa, who is himself Egyptian, has said he will stand for president but has called for a "no" vote in the referendum, saying the country needs a brand new charter.