Maher to visit Washington late January

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Tuesday he is likely to visit the US late in January.

During his meeting with diplomatic editors, Maher said the visit comes as part of contacts Egypt is holding with the American administration to contain the current deterioration in the Palestinian lands.

Maher said he will meet on Thursday with the Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Walender and on Sunday with Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Israeli Merelz movement leader Yossi Sarid upon their requests.

On the return of US envoy General Anthony Zinni to the region, Maher said from the very start Egypt was against Zinni's leaving the region, but the coming holidays and failure to realize the calm and security needed to pursue his activities prompted Zinni to go.

Maher said he received statistics showing that violence incidents have rolled back by 50 per cent, and this showed that political efforts should not wait until total calm prevailed, especially because the Israelis were the ones triggering off violence.

Maher expressed belief that the US has now realized that moves should be taken at all times and that it is not necessary to wait until all matters calm down.