ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, 4 July — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, held a second round of talks here last night with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on ways of strengthening bilateral ties and establishing peace in the Middle East.
“The two leaders discussed the present situation in the Middle East, most importantly the Palestinian issue. They also reviewed major events at Arab, Islamic and global levels,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Taher underscored the united stand taken by the two leaders to defend Arab causes and interests. He said Saudi Arabia and Egypt would stand firmly with the Palestinians to confront Israeli violations.
Taher said Prince Abdullah’s talks with Mubarak were within the framework of the continuous consultations between the two leaderships. “There is no need for any preparation for a meeting between the Saudi crown prince and President Mubarak as they are in total agreement on all issues,” he added.
Prince Abdullah, who arrived here Monday on a three-day official visit, also met with Palestine President Yasser Arafat and reviewed the situation in Palestine. They discussed ways of reviving the peace talks to achieve the set goals, restore the Arab character of Jerusalem and liberate all occupied Arab territories. Arafat later commended Prince Abdullah’s strong support for the Palestinians.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who is accompanying the crown prince, met with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Maher. Their talks focus on the latest developments in the region, especially the Israeli attacks on unarmed Palestinian civilians. The two ministers condemned the pre-planned Israeli assassination of Palestinian leaders. They also explored ways to implement the Mitchell peace plan and restart the peace talks.
Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah, accompanied by Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Atef Obeid, visited the Alexandria Library yesterday. The crown prince was briefed on the library’s history and its remarkable role as a major cultural monument in the Mediterranean city.
Prince Abdullah is expected to return to Saudi Arabia today at the conclusion of a several-nation tour, which also took him to Syria, Germany, Sweden, Morocco and France. The crown prince used his foreign tour to bring the Palestinian issue into the world focus. He also urged the United States and Europe to play an effective and balanced role to establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
