France hosts Mubarak at Le Palais De Marigny

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will be accommodated at Le Palais De Marigny during his visit to France that starts today.

This gesture reflects the great respect and appreciation that Paris attaches to President Mubarak. Elysee Palace spokeswoman Catherine Colona said President Jacques Chirac is very interested in getting acquainted with President Mubarak's view vis-a-vis the urgent regional international issues, stressing the depth of friendship between the two leaders.

The summit is due to address all international and bilateral files, atop of which are the problems of Iraq and Palestine.

Mubarak is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and the Parliament Speaker Jean-Lois Debre.."

ÊÊÊ Egyptian Ambassador to France Hatim Seiful Nassr said the 30- year-old good relations between the two countries yielded in favor of Egypt, citing France's 20-year contract to buy Egyptian gas at a cost of $ 10 billion.

The liberalizing of energy market in the European Union countries will likely encourage France to import more Egyptian gas with the French electricity and gas companies mulling export of energy to the EU markets, said the Ambassador.

Mubarak's three-day visit marks a new station on the road of the strategic relations between the two peoples, said Ambassador Seiful Nassr.

Mubarak and Chirac met last year before signing the gas deal in February 2002.