Tempers have flared between states with different policies towards Baghdad and the Iraqi regime has launched a war of words against unsympathetic Arab leaders.

On Sunday, the Arabic newspapers, Al Hayat and Ash Sharq al-Awsat, said a secret meeting took place in Hurghada on Egypt's Red Sea coast, although the Egyptian Foreign Ministry denied the reports.

Arab state politicans are divided

The newspapers said the foreign ministers discussed a controversial Arab ministerial meeting that has been postponed once already.

That meeting was expected to organise a full summit called for by Yemen, but Arab officials say it will not happen without the backing of key states, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

So far the proposal has only exposed sharp differences in Arab policies towards Iraq.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates support the summit while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are clearly opposed.

The French news agency reported that the Gulf states appeared no closer to hammering out a common position after a meeting of their representatives in Dubai on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Baghdad is frustrated that popular support has not translated into political action and has launched blistering attacks on unsympathetic Arab leaders.

Its anger has focused most on Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, who has blamed Saddam Hussein's regime for the plight of the Iraqi people.