Israeli officials to visit Egypt

Diplomatic sources in Cairo said the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's advisors Danny Naveh and Uzi Arad tomorrow to Cairo is not aimed at cancelling the current Egyptian plans to reactivate the French - Egyptian initiative to salvage the Middle East peace process. The initiative is opposed by Israel.

The visit of the Israeli advisors is aimed at convincing Egypt to pressure the Palestinians to soften their positions in negotiations over the second phase of redeployment in the West Bank.

The diplomatic sources described the visit of the Israeli officials to Cairo as a means of restoring contacts between the Israeli and Egyptian sides.

Meanwhile, Israeli radio said the two Israeli officials will acquaint the Egyptian officials with all the details of what was achieved in negotiations with the Palestinians government concerning the implementation of the second phase of redeployment in the West Bank and the results of the Israeli - Palestinian meetings made recently on crystallizing a memorandum of understanding between the two sides.

The visit was agreed upon during a telephone call made by Netanyahu on Monday to Egypt's President Mubarak.