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Al-Ahram Weekly 18 - 24 November 1999 Issue No. 456 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 18 - 24 November 1999 Issue No. 456
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Special Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters BILATERAL BOOST: President Hosni Mubarak met on Tuesday with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal for talks on bilateral relations, the Middle East peace process and the situation in the Gulf.
Al-Faisal told reporters that he spoke with Mubarak and Foreign Minister Amr Moussa about the results of the second ministerial meeting of the Supreme Joint Egyptian-Saudi committee, held at the Foreign Ministry on Monday night. The meeting was intended to boost trade, joint investments and the establishment of a free trade zone by next year.
Asked about reports that the explosions triggered by Israel in the Dead Sea to test its earthquake-monitoring network were actually a cover-up for nuclear tests, Al-Faisal said his government does not believe so. "If they were nuclear tests, there would have been an international reaction, not just a reaction on the Arab and Islamic levels," he told reporters. The local press reported on Sunday that Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi telephoned Moussa, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Shara'a, Al-Faisal and Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel-Ilah Al-Khatib to discuss the Israeli explosions.
The Saudi minister confirmed his country's support of the Egyptian-Libyan effort to organise a reconciliation meeting between the Sudanese government and opposition groups. Al-Faisal said Riyadh does not have an independent plan for the restoration of peace in Sudan, but is ready to host any meeting designed for this purpose if the concerned parties so request. He added that Sudanese parties contacted the Saudi government six months ago and asked to hold a meeting in Saudi Arabia. "We told them that we are ready to host any meeting that would benefit Sudan," Al-Faisal said.
SOUTH KOREA TALKS: On Tuesday, President Mubarak discussed bilateral relations and the situation in Asia with visiting South Korean Foreign Minister Hong Soon-Young . The meeting capped a three-day visit to Egypt during which the Korean official held extensive talks with Foreign Minister Amr Moussa. Egypt and South Korea on Sunday signed two agreements, the first on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the second a protocol on cooperation between diplomatic institutions.
MEETING WITH NAFIE: President Mubarak received Ibrahim Nafie, board chairman of Al-Ahram organisation and editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, on Tuesday.
