Ebeid conveys a message from President Mubarak to Bashir

The higher Egyptian-Sudanese committee under Premier Atef Ebeid and Sudanese First Vice-President Ali Othman Taha opens meetings in Khartoum Saturday following Ebeid's arrival.

The committee will make a full assessment of the two states' relations in the different fields.

During his 48-hour visit, Ebeid conveys a message from President Mubarak to Bashir. The message comes within the framework of two leaders continuous coordination, particularly on the issues of mutual interest.

Ebeid and Othman are to ink about sixteen agreements during the committees meetings, a foremost of which is an agreement on encouraging and protecting investments.

The other agreements are on avoiding dual taxation, preventing customs contradictions, maritime and land transport, culture, insurance, oil, media and social affairs.

The committee is also to ink a number of protocols and executive programmes in the fields of fairs, population, endowments and youth.

On his part, chairman of Egyptian-Sudanese Business Council Abdul-Fatah Behairy said that agreements on 7 projects are to be signed, the aftermost of which, is 80-million-dollar agricultural project to produce and export agricultural products.

He added that a joint constructing company would be established with a 17-million-dollar capital to execute the projects of infrastructure and utilities.

On the Egyptian-Libyan initiative, Sudan denied any opposition in the government or in the Sudanese ruling congress party about the nine-principle proposals on realizing peace in the Sudan.

Sudanese ruling congress party's Secretary-General Ibrahim Ahmad Omar said that the agreement on the proposal had been reached after holding long deliberations and consultations.

He added that the agreements decision was compiled by all government's members, apart from those who had given proposals and opinions.