Al Gore postpones his visit to Cairo

The United States of America informed Cairo that the US Vice President's visit will be delayed. Al Gore was scheduled to visit Cairo at the end of September to join President Mubarak in chairing the meetings of the Egyptian American Presidential Council.

A source in the American Embassy in Cairo said that the date of the visit will be fixed after the Middle East and North Africa Conference due to be held in Doha, Qatar between November 16 and 18. The source added that the postponement is caused by the US Secretary of State's visit, which was not scheduled when Gore set the date of his visit, and also because the subjects on Gore's agenda were discussed by Madeleine Albight, thus the visit will not be of great importance on the political and media levels, especially after Albight's visit got much attention on both sides.

Commentators on the Egyptian American relations found an indirect link between the Egyptian low profile in the MENA Summit and Gore's decision to postpone his visit. It is said that his decision to make this visit depends on Egypt's participation in the conference.

This is the third postponement Gore's visit, which was originally scheduled for February, then rescheduled for September. The current postponement is indefinite date.