Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has warned Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak that Palestinian-Israeli clashes might have "harmful repercussions" for the peace process, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The government daily Al-Ahram said Mubarak made the remarks during a telephone conversation with Barak on Saturday amid clashes that have now left a total of 23 Palestinians dead and hundreds wounded.
Mubarak "regretted the bloody events and the latest clashes which took place between Palestinians and the Israeli (army) and their harmful repercussions on the atmosphere surrounding the peace process," it said.
The two leaders also "exchanged points of view on the latest developments on the Palestinian-Israeli track of the peace process," the newspaper said.
Mubarak "is in contact with all concerned parties, including the Israeli government, because it is very dangerous for the situation to deteriorate to the point" where we are, Mubarak's political advisor Ossama al-Baz said Saturday.
In a similar statement on Friday, Mubarak's office said Egypt deplores "the bloody violence triggered today ... by the Israelis (who are) not concerned to reach peace."
It added that Egypt regrets that these clashes occurred at a moment "when all the partners are deploying their efforts to overcome the obstacles that are hindering peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians."
Egypt, a key intermediary in the peace process, called on Israel "to take all measures (to ensure) that these sort of incidents are not repeated" so that the process can move forward - CAIRO (AFP)
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