Mubarak, Sheikh Hamad resume talks
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Emir sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar resumed on Friday afternoon the second day of their talks.
The two Arab leaders will complete discussion on the latest developments in the Middle East, coordinating Arab stances with respect to the current international situation and terrorism-combat as well as bilateral ties.
Talks began with a Tete a Tete meeting between Mubarak and Sheikh Hamad. They were then joined by members of the two countries delegations.
In a plenary session of talks, the two sides assessed progress in Egyptian-Qatari relations during the past years.
Prime minister Atef Ebeid, defence minister Hussein Tantawi, information minister Safwat El-Sherif, Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher and Finance Minister Medhat Hassanein attended the meeting.
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Ben Jassim Ben Jabr and his compatriot Ambassador here Mohammad Ahmad Khalifa were also present.
Sheikh Hamad, whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), arrived here late Thursday on a Three-day visit to Egypt.
President Mubarak hosted a working lunch on for his Qatari guest and his accompanying delegation.
Following the session of talks, Maher voiced Egypt's welcome of Sheikh Hamad's visit.
President Mubarak is happy with the visit and the chance to discuss with the Qatari Emir all Arab issues of mutual interest, he added.
The two Arab leaders tackled the situation in occupied Palestine and terror combat, he said, adding that Mubarak and Sheikh Hamad underlined the importance of not expanding the anti-terror campaign to include any Arab country.
Maher said he met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad at the directives of both Mubarak and the Qatari Emir.
The Qatari top diplomat, on his part, described as good the Mubarak-Hamad talks.
He added that his talks with Maher took up the situation in the Arab world, deeming as dangerous and sensitive the goings-on in the occupied Palestinian lands.
The situation requires a well-calculated Arab action to handle the grave developments, said the Qatari Foreign Minister.