CAIRO, 22 January 2004 — President Hosni Mubarak sent top aides to Tripoli yesterday to meet with Libyan leader Moammer Qaddafi as both sides appeared to defuse a diplomatic row that had sparked tit-for-tat travel restrictions.

Diplomats said Libya imposed travel restrictions Jan. 9 because of “irritation” over Egyptian press criticism of its unilateral decision last month to renounce efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Egypt retaliated with its own restrictions.

In the past week, however, both sides have eased their restrictions, and border police said Wednesday traffic was about 90 percent of normal.

Egypt’s state-run MENA news agency said the delegation included Mubarak’s chief adviser, Osama A-Baz, as well as Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher and Information Minister Safwat Al-Sherif.

MENA said the officials would hand Qaddafi a message, but did not disclose its contents.

Makram Mohammed Ahmed, a confidant of Mubarak who is editor-in-chief of the Egyptian government magazine Al-Mussawar, said the delegation is likely tasked with “a de-escalation” that would help the 350,000 Egyptian workers in Libya.

During a meeting Tuesday with Egyptian intellectuals, Mubarak said, “Libya is a brother country. And even if there are differences from time to time, these do not affect the solid ties between the two countries and two peoples.”

Egypt on Tuesday stopped requiring Libyans crossing the desert border at Sallum to present visas, a measure it had imposed in retaliation for similar restrictions introduced by Libya on Egyptian travelers on Jan. 9.

Until then, Egyptians had been able to cross with only their identity papers.

The Libyans last week dropped the visa requirement but still require Egyptian travelers to produce a work contract, residence permit, or proof they are carrying $350.

In a reciprocal measure, the Egyptian authorities now require Libyans to enter with the sum of $500.

Libya imposed the restrictions after Egyptian newspapers, including those run by the government, said Libya’s unilateral decision on WMD weakened Arab efforts to force Israel to abandon its undeclared nuclear weapons program.

The newspapers then ran reports that Libya and Israel had held talks about the prospect of forging diplomatic ties, which Libya has denied. In addition, Mubarak himself was critical.

In an interview with Egyptian radio on Jan. 1, Mubarak expressed surprise at the Libyan decision, saying he knew “personally” that Libya did not possess WMD and suggested that Qaddafi just wanted to feel important.

“The problem is that every one wants to feel very important in the region, whether it is Libya or another” country, he added.