Maher: intensive contacts on ME deterioration

Egyptian FM Ahmed Maher contacted Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, US Secretary Colin Powell and French FM Hubert Vedrine on the current tensions in the Middle East.

Maher said he received a telephone call from Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa on possibilities of convening an urgent meeting for Arab FMs.

"It seems there is a difficulty of holding a ministerial meeting for the follow-up group. We are instead mulling contacting the UN SC on the deteriorating situation in the region," he said.

Maher earlier said that an Arab emergency meeting would be held "within hours" on the Israeli attacks against the Palestinians.

He explained that the meeting would be held by the Arab FMs of the Follow- up Committee or at the level of the Arab League's Council.