A spokesman for French President Jacque Chirac has said that the president is looking forward to his meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak on Monday.
The Elysee spokesman told Egypt’s official news agency (MENA) that the two leaders will exchange views on the international developments, with focus on the US-led anti-terrorism campaign and the Middle East conflict.
He added that the French president holds high esteem for Mubarak “who plays a key role he plays in fighting terrorism and efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the region.”
Chirac departs for a Middle East tour on Monday to shore up support for the US-led war in Afghanistan, as well as appeal for humanitarian aid to the region and a resumption of the stalled Middle East peace process.
Chirac will travel to the Middle East for the first time since the September 11 terrorist attacks, and is to meet the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In the past week, Chirac has met with key actors US President George W. Bush in Washington, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York, and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Paris.
A resumption of the Middle East process -- stalled since the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, 14 months ago -- is to be high on his tour’s agenda, according to AFP.
Although the president has said he does not believe in a direct link between the Intifada and Osama bin Laden's alleged terrorist campaign, he has said the fragile state of the peace process can only have negative effects on perceptions of the United States and the anti-terror coalition it is trying to build, said the agency – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
