Mubarak's message to Bush offers assessment of regional scene

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher Wednesday said that a message he would convey to US President George W.Bush would carry assessment and views of the situation in the Middle East.

Maher told the Cairo Radio correspondent in Washington that he would disclose the content of the message after conveying it to Bush. He said that his meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell would focus on the Middle East and renewed US efforts for a Middle East settlement.

He urged an end to the Israeli occupation and expressed concern over Israel's crackdown on the Palestinians.

Another item to be tackled during the Maher -Powell talks will be the anti-terror efforts.

"Egypt has declared its solidarity with the international efforts against terrorism," he said. He recalled Mubarak's call for the world to stand against terrorism and Convene an anti-terror conference.

"The world has eventually realized the validity of the Egyptian view on terrorism."

He added that he would highlight during his meeting with Powell the importance of avoiding any military act against any Arab country.

He expressed Egypt's hopes that a current conference in Bon on Afghanistan would manage to pave the way for restoring stability in Afghanistan.

The third item to be discussed by Maher with Powell is the framework of Egyptian-US relations and cooperating to grapple with the negative impact of the September 11 attacks in the US on the global economy, including the Egypt.

Maher, who started his visit to the US on Tuesday, cited appreciation on the part of US Congress leaders whom he met for Egypt's anti-terror stand and pro-peace role.

Meanwhile, Maher began on Wednesday his contacts in the US capital by a meeting with Republican minority leader in the Senate Trent Lott and also the Democratic majority leader in the Senate.

Maher also met with representatives of the Egyptian community to inquire after the conditions of the Egyptians living in the US in light of the repercussions of the September 11 attacks.

Maher and Powell will sign on Thursday a cooperation agreement in the legal and judicial fields with the aim of standardizing some judicial measures between the two countries.

Under the agreement, the two sides will cooperate in pinpointing the places of those wanted to be investigated with and will exchange evidence and inspection warrants.

The agreement will give each side an access to legal documents. But the two sides will agree that any form of cooperation should not contradict with laws reinforced in their respective countries.

Maher will separately meet with representatives of the Arab American organizations and members of the Jewish- American committee.

Maher will also hold talks with Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield and Chairman of the Appropriation Committee at the Senate Ted Stevens.

On Friday, he will meet with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. Maher arrived in Washington on Tuesday on a four-day visit.

After that, he will head for New York to meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.