US secretary of state leaves today for Amman after Egypt and Saudi Arabia

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa has announced that talks between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright centered on the Iraqi crisis, the current stalemate in the Middle East peace process on various tracks and bilateral relations between the two countries.

In a joint press conference he held on Wednesday in Cairo with Albright, Moussa said, "Egypt is against any military act against Iraq and supports Iraq's sovereignty and unity." He explained that the recent statement released by the Arab foreign ministers held in Cairo embodies the Arab position towards Iraq and the need to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.

For her part, Albright said that the suspension of the Middle East peace process is the main challenge for US policy in the region at this juncture.

On Wednesday night Albright arrived in Saudi Arabia, and she is to arrive today in Amman on an unscheduled visit.