Three key Arab leaders consult in Egypt

29/03/2001| IslamWeb

ALEXANDRIA, (Islamweb & Agencies) - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz here Monday for talks on the deepening Arab-Israeli crisis ahead of separate talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. (Read photo caption below). Mubarak, who is staying at the presidential palace in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, met Prince Abdullah at Borg el-Arab airport, where the Saudi heir arrived, before heading to Alexandria's beachside Montazah Palace.Talks there were attended by the Saudi and Egyptian foreign ministers, Saud al-Faisal and Ahmed Maher respectively.Arafat meanwhile arrived in the Mediterranean city for separate talks with both Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah later Monday evening. Palestinian militants set off two car bombs that rocked an Israeli town near Tel Aviv airport Monday while an Israeli civilian was shot dead by Palestinian gunmen in the northern West Bank.The incidents came a day after Israel killed five Palestinians in the West Bank and launched air strikes on Syrian targets in Lebanon, wounding at least three soldiers and drawing sharp criticism from friends and foes alike.Crown Prince Abdullah was starting a three-day official visit to Egypt at Mubarak's invitation, following a trip to France where he met US Secretary of State Colin Powell.Mubarak and Arafat also met Powell on his brief Middle East tour.The Egyptian and Saudi leaders were set to "discuss developments in the peace process, results of his tour of Europe, the strengthening of bilateral relations and his meeting with Powell," the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram said.The prince, has rejected an invitation to visit the United States because of Washington's perceived support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.PHOTO CAPTION:Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) meets with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (C) and Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Minister of cooperation, in Alexandria July 2, 2001. Both men discussed the latest developments in the Middle East peace process. REUTERS/S