Maher, Powell confer on phone

The Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher said Thursday that he discussed with US Secretary of State Colin Powell the recent developments in the Palestinian areas and the arrangements pertaining to holding a meeting between Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.

The talks also dealt with developments on the recent terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, said Maher.

He pinpointed to Powell Egypt's solidarity with the America people in their ordeal, underlining international cooperation in the face of terrorism within the framework of the conference urged by President Hosni Mubarak to work out an agreement binding to all countries.