Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam yesterday, who visited Cairo and also met with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Atef Ebeid.
Khaddam’s discussions with the Egyptian political leadership focused on the developments in current situations and the Arab stance on the international coalition called by the United States to combat terrorism.
Arab sources indicated that Khaddam discussed the possible forms of cooperation within the framework of combating terrorism, noting that Damascus shares Cairo’s position of rejecting and warning against any strikes within this coalition against any Arab country. They emphasized the need to distinguish and carefully examine the Arab groups and organizations working for their countries’ independence.
Al-Qabas sources pointed out that Damascus is interested in having active Arab capitals, including Cairo, work to refocus Western attention on the Syrian track. The sources mentioned that Syria feels there is increasing Western and regional interest in the Palestinian track, especially following recent events in the United States, while political and media attention has not addressed the Syrian file or Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan.
Khaddam’s discussions with Ebeid centered on supporting bilateral relations between the two countries in various fields, activating agreements signed within the framework of the Egyptian-Syrian Joint Higher Committee, and reviewing the progress of the major natural gas pipeline project connecting Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon.
It is noted that Egypt and Syria have agreed to establish a broad free trade area.
