Mubarak-Arafat talks deal with situation in Israel, coordinating Arab stances

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat yesterday discussed at As-Salam Palace in Heliopolis the development of the situation in Israel and ways of coordinating Arab stances before the convening of Arab Summit in Amman next month.

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said Mubarak-Arafat talks came in the framework of intensive consultations held by Egypt with the Palestinian side and Arab capitals on Arab moves in the upcoming stage.

Moussa said in press statement that Mubarak and Arafat discussed the current situation in Israel and potential Israeli attitude towards the peace process in the upcoming few months.

Ways of adopting a unified Arab stance in the next Arab summit in Amman were also discussed.

Moussa said the Arab Foreign Ministers would meet in Cairo after the Eid-al-Adha (Qorban Bairam) adding meetings are held at various Arab levels for coordinating Arab stances towards the peace process.

Answering a question on the feeling by Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat after his meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Moussa said President Arafat was generally dissatisfied with current status of the peace process.