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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 June 1999 Issue No. 433 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 June 1999 Issue No. 433
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Books Living Travel Sports Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Inter-Arab consultations
PRESIDENT Hosni Mubarak held talks in Cairo with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdallah, who arrived last Friday at the end of a tour which included South Africa, Italy, Morocco, Libya, Syria and Jordan. Mubarak met twice with the crown prince, on Friday and Saturday, as part of on-going inter-Arab consultations on regional and bilateral issues. These included the outcome of Abdallah's tour, the Middle East peace process and inter-Arab economic and security cooperation.
The prince's visit followed efforts to consolidate the Arab position in the stalled negotiations with Israel by organising a five-way summit that would have brought together Israel's five immediate neighbours. The summit, which was to have been attended by leaders from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority, is now unlikely in the near future.
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said the Mubarak-Abdallah talks came at a "critical time" in the region, describing them as "an important opportunity for exchanging views on the future of the peace process and the Arab world in general."
At the end of his visit, Abdallah stressed the importance of inter-Arab cooperation and economic integration. In a courtesy telegram to Mubarak, the crown prince said that Arab integration should be based on "sound and solid" ground.
Before Abdallah's departure, the president and the prince travelled for nearly one hour by underground metro between Qubba Palace and Giza, and back. Surprised commuters cheered the two leaders as they passed through some 16 underground stations.
