Mubarak stresses exigency of resuming talks on Syrian-Israeli track

President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat held a session of talks in Cairo early on Tuesday on the latest Middle East developments especially on the Palestinian-Israeli track.

"Mubarak's talks with Arafat focused mainly on the Palestinian track, hurdles hindering it and future steps," Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said.

"The coming few weeks will witness a Palestinian-Egyptian coordination," he added, voicing the two sides, dismay over Israel's delay in implementing Sharm el-Sheikh memo.

"This delay underlines the general atmosphere and credibility of the entire peace march," he pointed out.

Presidential Political Adviser Osama el-Baz said Arafat briefed President Mubarak on his talks in Washington with US President and senior aides and the steps the Palestinian Authority is to adopt so as to activate negotiations.

"The Palestinian side sees the need for holding continuous marathon negotiations to reach agreement by February 13, the date set by the Sharm el-Sheikh memo," Baz added.

He added that Arafat briefed Mubarak on his talks last week with Clinton in Washington and European Union officials in Brussels.

Arafat left Cairo later in the day to attend a World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he is due to meet US President Bill Clinton.

President Mubarak, in a message he sent to US President Bill Clinton on the eve of Arafat-Clinton summit in Washington, stressed Egypt's support for the Palestinian stance in the peace negotiations.

Mubarak called upon the US administration to play active and continuous role to push forward the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

Egypt's Ambassador in Washington Nabil Fahmy told "Al Ahram" newspaper that President Mubarak stressed the exigency of resuming the negotiations on the Syrian-Israeli track under the principles of Madrid peace conference and the land-for-peace.

He added that the US administration, appreciating Egypt's efforts in the Middle East peace process, called on Egypt to intensify efforts with all Arab and Israeli parties to boost peace.