Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak continued Sunday in Cairo
talks with Arab leaders focused on holding the postponed Arab summit.
Mubarak met his Syrian and Sudanese counterparts, Bashar
Al-Assad and Omar Al-Bashir.
President Bashar Al-Assad met with Mubarak in Cairo Airport upon his arrival to discuss the Arab summit. According to sources, cited by KUNA news agency, the two leaders discussed the outcomes of the ongoing Arab deliberations on both the Egyptian and Syrian fronts.
The sources added that during the Egyptian-Syrian summit, the presidents also reviewed the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Iraqi issue, as well as Mubarak's visit to the United States next Saturday in wake of the regional and international circumstances.
The Syrian president was accompanied by a delegation that included Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam, Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa and Syrian Ambassador to Cairo, Youssef Ahmad.
The meeting was also attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, Information minister Safwat El-Sherif and the Egyptian Ambassador to Damascus.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Maher, said Saturday that summit deliberations of Arab leaders will continue, adding that the aim is to overcome differences that put off the summit in Tunisia last month.
The Egyptian president had met already with several Arab leaders and officials last week in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, including Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Crown Prince of Saudi
Arabia Prince Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, as well as Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa and Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa.
They all emphasized the importance of reconvening the summit - in the interest of the Arab world.
The agenda of the Arab summit, of which the date and location has yet to be determined, is expected to include the reform of the Arab League, a joint Arab work mechanism, ideas of developing the region, as well as the situation in the Palestinian territories and Iraq. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
