Mubarak to inaugurate Arab Summit Saturday

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will address the inaugural session of Arab summit, scheduled to open in Cairo on Saturday.

Arab League Secretary-General Dr. Esmat Abdul Maguid and a number of Arab leaders will also address the summit.

Meanwhile, the two-day meetings of Arab Foreign Minister will begin in Cairo on Thursday to set the scene for the Arab summit, called by President Hosni Mubarak to discuss the negative impact of the current situation in the region on the future of peacemaking.

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Maguid are to deliver speeches before the inaugural session of the meetings.

The Ministers will prepare the agenda of the Arab Summit and the draft final communiqu».

Moreover, Moussa on Wednesday held a series of meetings with visiting Arab Foreign Ministers before their meetings kick of Thursday ahead of the emergency pan-Arab summit.

Within this context, Moussa met with Kuwait's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Majid El-Shahin and Iraq's Foreign Minister Mohammad Said Sahaf, after his meeting, Shahin described the talks as important. "The summit agenda will focus on the Palestinian Intifada and cause," he said.

"The concerted Arab efforts will address the situation in the occupied Arab territories and the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit, which closed Tuesday, will be a basis for the pan-Arab summit," he added.

"The Arab countries are hopeful that the summit will successful," Shahin said.

The Kuwaiti State Minister hailed Egypt's and President Hosni Mubarak's efforts directed to solve the Palestine problem.

On whether Kuwait would ask the Arab leaders to take certain positions on its POWs' problem, he said that the summit would only address the Palestinian issue and means of confronting the Israeli procrastination on its agenda.

Meanwhile, Sahaf denied that the Arab leaders would address Kuwait-Iraq reconciliation.

"The summit is to support Palestinian Intifada in letter and spirit," he commented. Sahaf seized the opportunity to call anew on everybody to lift the embargo imposed on Iraq.

Asked by reporters on the upcoming summit's prospects, Moussa hoped that a clear Arab line would be drawn on the current goings-on and challenges facing Arabs.

What is important is that the Arabs consult over the Palestinian events and decide upon their periodical gatherings.

On the other hand, Moussa on Wednesday met with his Sudanese Counterpart Moustafa Othman Ismail, who arrived in Cairo to take part in the ministerial meetings to open Thursday ahead of the pan-Arab Summit.

Ismail said that he was posted on the regional developments after Sharm El-Sheikh Summit and preparations for the pan-Arab summit.

The Sudanese Minister thanked Egypt for its pro-Arab initiatives. "The Summit itself embodies the hopes of the Arab peoples for material support to boost the Palestinian cause and stand by the Palestinian people until they regain their rights," Isamil said.

"Sudan and Egypt seek to make the summit come with a unified Arab stand that supports the Palestinian rights and cause," he added.

On Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi's unexpected move when he announced a draft declaration of the would-be summit, Ismail said that drafts were normally sent to participants for discussion.

He discounted that Gaddafi's move would abort the summit.

Moussa also held talks with Lebanese Premier and Foreign Minster Salim Al-Hoss, who arrived in Cairo earlier in the day.

They tackled issues tabled on the agenda of the Arab Foreign Ministers meeting slated for Thursday, Moussa also briefed Hoss on outcome of the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit which wound up Tuesday.

The talks came within the context of intensive contacts held by Moussa with his Arab counterparts to prepare for the emergency, Arab summit, to open in the Egyptian capital on Saturday.