Cairo hosts meeting of Arab tourism ministers

Deliberations of the extraordinary meeting of the council of the Arab ministers of tourism started on Wednesday, chaired by Egyptian Tourism Minister Mamdouh al-Baltagi.

Baltagi expressed appreciation for the Arab states' response to this meeting at Arab League headquarters, adding that this show of Arab solidarity with Egypt should be backed up by signing contracts among representatives of the participating Arab tourism sector.

On behalf of the Arab League secretary general, his assistant for economic affairs, Abdul Rahman Suheibani, said convening this meeting in Cairo would have a positive effect on Arab tourism in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Syrian Tourism Minister Danho Dawoud condemned the November attack in Luxor. He said this criminal act violates Arab values and traditions and is contrary to all human principles and divine religions. He called for organizing tourist trips to Egypt and for considering 1998 a year of tourism cooperation with Egypt.