Mubarak and Demirel to meet on Monday

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel is to start an official visit to Egypt on Monday that last for two days, during which he will hold discussions with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Alexandria to tackle Turkish - Egyptian bilateral relations, new developments in the Middle East peace process, the situation in Kosovo and the cause of international terrorism.

Ikot Jatrekah, Turkey's ambassador in Egypt, said, "The intimate relations between the presidents, Mubarak and Demirel, positively reflect on relations between the two countries."

Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Fathi El-Shazeli said that the volume of commercial exchange between the two countries reaches $800 million, that investments are escalating and that a large delegation of officials, parliamentarians and businessmen escorting President Demirel which will have an effect on bilateral relations between the two countries. He added that there are possibilities for great cooperation in the field of energy and exporting gas.

He said that stability in the Balkan region will be among the subjects raised between the two presidents, as Turkey is a Balkan state and stability in the Balkans can never be divided from stability in the area of the Mediterranean Sea basin.