Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak confirmed in remarks published on Monday that he had invited newly re-elected Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for talks aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process.
In addition, he revealed that Sharon had contacted him during his first mandate and asked if he could come to Egypt to discuss the situation, but did not elaborate on why the trip did not take place.
"Now that Ariel Sharon has won the elections, I thought it appropriate to contact him, deal with him in a new way, and I invited him to meet us at Sharm el-Sheikh, after the formation of his government, to examine ways of breaking the deadlock, and getting back on the track of dialogue and negotiations", al-Gumhuriya newspaper quoted him as saying.
The Egyptian leader further said, "Sharon and I have nothing in common but the Palestinian question, for which we are trying to find a just, comprehensive and lasting solution." (Albawaba.com)
