Mubarak will be absent from the inauguration of the Book exhibition

Chairman of the secretaries of the general Egyptian Book commission stressed yesterday that the "prime minister Atef Ebeid is the one who will open activities of the 36th session of Cairo's International Book exhibition on Wednesday." It will be the first time in which the Egyptian President will be absent from inaugurating the exhibition since he assumed power in Egypt.

Sarhan said that the Egyptian president "will hold his annual meeting with the Egyptian intellectuals today ( Tuesday), one day before the inauguration of the exhibition."

It used to be that the President met with several Egyptian intellectuals immediately after he opens the exhibitions. Sarhan indicated that " 2800 publishers representing 67 countries including Iraq will take part in the exhibition."

The Iranian participation comes for the first time since the Islamic revolution in Iraq in 1979. Sarhan reiterated the position of the exhibition's administration in rejecting any Israeli participation.