Mubarak, Putin Hold Phone Talks Over Mideast CrisisEgyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday held phone talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the Mideast situation, the state-run MENA news agency reported.In the telephone conversation initiated by Putin, Mubarak was briefed on the outcome of Putin's talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is on a visit to Russia, Egyptian Information Minister Muhammad Safwat el-Sharif said. "The two leaders discussed the necessity of putting an end to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East," Sharif added. He said that Mubarak urged the world community to intervene to halt the Palestinian-Israeli violence and bring both sides back to negotiations. Sharon started a four-day visit to Russia on Monday in a bid to rally support for his current policy towards the Palestinians. The Mideast region has been rocked by continued Palestinian- Israeli clashes, which have so far left more than 700 people dead, most of them Palestinians, since September last year. |
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