The Sudanese president has arrived in Doha to attend this week's Arab League summit, despite an international warrant for his arrest.
President Omar al-Bashir smiled as he shook hands with a reception committee in at the Qatari capital Sunday.
Mr. Bashir has traveled to Doha in defiance of an arrest warrant the International Criminal Court issued earlier this month for war crimes allegedly committed in Sudan's Darfur region.
The warrant is expected to be a top issue during this week's Arab summit, which starts Monday.
The Israeli-Palestinian crisis and Iran's growing influence in the region also will be discussed.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he will not be attending the summit, a move that exposed the rift among Arab some nations on these issues.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia have expressed concern about Iran, especially because of its support for Hamas in Gaza. Meanwhile, Iran has been fostering good relations with Syria and Qatar.