Mubarak suggests postponing declaration of Palestinian state for six months

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has expressed hope that the Palestinian side will find a solution to declaring the Palestinian state by postponing it for six months.

The Egyptian official Middle East News Agency quoted Mubarak's statements as saying to the Chinese TV in which he stressed, "The Palestinian state is a standing fact because the Palestinians are people who have a land and it is their right to have the guarantees to have their state recognized."

Mubarak indicated that "certain Palestinians currently think of postponing the date of declaring the Palestinian state and (President Yasser Arafat) is discussing this matter. We hope the Palestinian side will find a way to settle this matter by postponing the declaration of a Palestinian state for five or six months."