Mubarak, Bush mull Mideast situation over phone

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, July 12, 2002

Mubarak, Bush mull Mideast situation over phone

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday had phone talks with his US counterpart George W. Bush on the latest Mideast situation, the official MENA news agency reported.

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Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday had phone talks with his US counterpart George W. Bush on the latest Mideast situation, the official MENA news agency reported.

"During the phone conversation, initiated by Bush, the two presidents exchanged views on the Mideast situation in light of theongoing peace efforts made by the two countries," MENA said.

In addition, they discussed "means of getting out of the currentMideast crisis," it added.

Mubarak also stressed the need to put an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands in a way that enables the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to fulfill its mission, according to MENA.

This was the first phone contact between the two men in public since Bush delivered what many Arabs termed as pro-Israel speech onthe Mideast peace on June 24.

In his speech, Bush conditioned the establishment of a Palestinian state on the change of the current Palestinian leadership led by PNA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Egypt has obviously trodden a different path on the issue of Arafat's fate, defending the right of the Palestinian people to choose their own leadership.

The Bush-Mubarak phone talks came after Bush told reporters at the White House on Monday that some progress has been made in the PNA reform, and the United States will continue its diplomatic efforts even if Arafat remains in power.

Bush's remarks were believed to be softened toward Arafat, soothing somewhat Arab worries about the US sincerity to bring about peace in the Mideast region.

"I consider Bush's statement as positive, because he welcomed the Palestinian reforms and confirmed Washington's committment to the Mideast peace process," Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said on Tuesday during a brief visit to Kuwait.

Egypt, a close ally of the United States in the Mideast region, has occasionally lambasted the Untied States for its biased Mideastpolicy heavily in favor of Israel.

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