Mubarak defuses rumors on his health conditions

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt yesterday resumed his activities by receiving the Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei', and thereby defusing rumors on a grave deterioration of his health conditions.

On Friday morning Mubarak met in his house which adjoins the Presidential palace in Misr al-Jedida quarters in Cairo. The meeting lasted for half an hour but was not followed by any statements. The Egyptian TV screened shots taken at the beginning of the meeting which was attended by the Palestinian ambassador in Cairo Zuhdi al-Qidra.

This meeting was presumed to be held on Thursday according to the Middle East news agency and the state run al-Ahram daily but was cancelled without explanations, a matter which raised questions on the health condition of the Egyptian President especially following rumors on being exposed to health problems.

Mubarak received a telephone call from the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to be assured on his health, according to the Saudi news agency. The two sides discussed " bilateral relations between the two sisterly countries and development of conditions in the region."