Al-Baz confers with Arafat

Osama al-Baz, the political advisor of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held yesterday talks with the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat in Ramullah, marking the beginning of his visit to the occupied Palestinian territories.

The talks were attended by Jibril al-Rajjoub, the security advisor of the chairman of the Palestinian authority, and the minister in charge of negotiations Sa'eb Eriqat, and the minister of the interior Hakam Bal'awi.

Al-Baz's visit aims at informing the Palestinian authorities with the results of the talks the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher held with the Israeli officials on December 22, 2003, regarding a probable truce between Israel and the Palestinian groups.

Maher announced after his meeting with the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon that the latter is committed to avoid any acts that will undermine the efforts to reach a truce.

It is, however, expected that the Egyptian efforts will continue next week, with the expected visit of the chairman of the Egyptian general intelligence, Lt. Gen. Omar Suleiman, to ramullah on January 6th.

In remarks to the new efforts, one of Hamas officials Saed Seyam said on Thursday that there is no way to talk about a truce.