Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and his Egyptian counterpart Atef Ebeid held in Cairo Monday bilateral talks and signed two agreements, one concerning cooperation in tourism, while the other is a 10-year Spanish loan of 10 million dollars to help small businesses, reported AFP.
Aznar arrived Monday in Cairo for an official for bilateral and regional talks.
He is due to meet Tuesday with Egypt’s President Hosni Miubarak.
Aznar was also due to meet in Cairo with Spanish ambassadors in the region to discuss developments in the peace process, said AFP.
Prior to his departure for Cairo, the Spanish Prime Minister was quoted as saying by ArabicNews.com that his talks with Mubarak are expected to cover a lot of files including the stumbling Middle East peace talks, expanding the horizons of bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Spain.
Investments of the Spanish oil firms operating in Egypt reached in 2000 up to 1.2 billion dollars, said the news service, adding that there are 17 joint venture projects.
Mubarak is due to visit Spain late February, said press reports.
Talks with Spanish officials will focus on strengthening trade ties, said ArabicNews.com.
"Feasibility studies and executive steps of a cross-country high speed railway project to be financed by Spain are among the main topics to be discussed during Mubarak’s visit to Spian,” an official told the news service – Albawaba.com
