SHARM EL-SHEIKH, 1 August 2005 — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak here yesterday to discuss the preparations for the extraordinary Arab summit to be held on Aug. 3. They discussed regional issues, the peace process in the Middle East, the latest development in Iraq and the scheduled Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip in Palestine during their two-hour meeting.
“Both sides discussed the terror attacks in Sharm El-Sheikh and the killing of the two Algerian diplomats in Iraq,” said a top official source. “Prince Saud also handed a message to President Mubarak from the Saudi authorities concerning cooperation between the two countries and the peace process in the region,” the source told Arab News.
In April, Prince Saud and a group of Saudi businessmen had visited Egypt to boost bilateral relations. Egypt has long been a destination for Saudi investment and some of the country’s biggest companies are partly owned by Saudis. Relations between the two countries are improving, especially in the petrochemical field, where Egypt is an important player.
The upcoming Arab summit would call for a common Arab vision on the Palestinian and Iraq issues and would discuss the many challenges facing the Arabs. At least 16 Arab countries of the 22-member Arab League are expected to send high-level delegations.
