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Haass here

RICHARD Haass, president of the United States Council on Foreign Relations, is currently visiting Egypt, reports Magda El- Ghitany. Haass, who is here on a private visit, was received by Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit yesterday. They tackled several issues in their talks ranging from Egyptian- American relations to the current Palestinian situation and Syria.

Following his meeting with Abul-Gheit, Haass told reporters that Egypt and the US closely cooperate on Middle East issues, adding that the two countries are "continuing the expansion of their partnership in the region which is always needed."

As "friends", he said there were always issues that the two countries may differ on. "The major challenge that faces both states [Egypt and the US] is how to continue cooperating on the international level" with an eye on domestic political reforms in Egypt.

Haass noted that the current Palestinian- Israeli situation "does not help either the Palestinians, the Israelis" or any of the parties concerned and emphasised the necessity for all parties to be "confident about moving towards peace".

Haass stated that it was difficult to "make predictions about US-Syrian relations." However, he argued, the international community believes that "now is the time for Lebanon to decide its own destiny" in a way that leaves no place "for any Syrian influence".

Detention extended

PROSECUTOR-GENERAL Maher Abdel- Wahed on Tuesday ordered that 60 Muslim Brotherhood members, detained during anti- government demonstrations on Sunday, be remanded in custody for 15 days pending further investigation.

The men were among other members the Brotherhood says were arrested in connection with Sunday's demonstration against President Hosni Mubarak -- their first major rally in years -- which prompted a massive security crackdown in downtown Cairo.

The men are held on charges of belonging to an illegal organisation. The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned since 1954 but remains Egypt's most powerful Islamic political group and is believed to be the most powerful opposition to the government, with tens of thousands of supporters. Its rally Sunday called for greater political reform.

The group says 84 of its members were arrested in raids at dawn ahead of the march and that 150 more were arrested during and in the wake of the demonstration.

An Interior Ministry statement on Sunday said that only around 50 Brotherhood members were detained during the protests after leaders ignored warnings not to attend the rally.

According to security officials, 35 had been released by Monday.

The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights said in a statement on Monday that more than 200 were initially arrested. It called for the immediate release of those who remain in detention, expressing "grave concern" over the arbitrary arrests, and calling for the lifting of emergency laws.

American caller

FOREIGN Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit met Monday Fred Laver, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Studies, to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, including the recent developments in the Palestinian issue. In a press release, Abul-Gheit noted the necessity for the Israeli government to adopt "a positive direction" that reveals its good intentions to prevent any obstacles that may hinder reaching a settlement regarding the Palestinian issue. He stressed the importance for both Palestinians and Israelis to fulfil the agreements reached at February's Sharm El-Sheikh summit.

Laver emphasised the "deep relations" that Egypt and the US share, stating the need for both countries to cooperate to bring their visions closer "as far as issues of common interest are concerned". According to the press release, Laver said the "pivotal role" that Egypt plays regarding the Palestinian issue is of special importance to ensure stability in the entire region. It is also needed to help the Palestinians and Israelis reach "an agreement regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state". This goal, according to Abul-Gheit, remains Egypt's priority and it will continue to "exert every possible effort" to help the Palestinian Authority organise the "Palestinian house and unite Palestinian" forces.

Diplomat summoned

EGYPT'S most senior diplomat in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to hear a "strong protest" from Iran over the sentencing in Cairo of an Egyptian spy and his Iranian handler. The men were charged with plotting terrorist attacks against public figures.

The trial has set back attempts to improve Iranian-Egyptian relations, particularly as one of the two men convicted on Sunday is an Iranian diplomat who was formerly stationed in Cairo.

The Foreign Ministry's director for the Middle East, Mohamed Sobhani, on Tuesday summoned the head of the Egyptian interests section in Tehran, Shawqi Ismail, and protested against what Iran regards as a "baseless verdict and irresponsible act" by the Egyptian court.

A State Security Court in Cairo on Sunday convicted Egyptian Mahmoud Eid Dabous of plotting to assassinate President Hosni Mubarak and of spying for Iran's Revolutionary Guards. It sentenced Dabous to 25 years in jail for the assassination plot and an additional 10 years for espionage.

The court convicted in absentia his co- defendant, Mahmoud Reda Hussein, an Iranian diplomat, on the assassination charge and sentenced him to 25 years.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry gave the diplomat's name as Mohamed Rezadoost. The difference from the court's name could not be reconciled.

Relations between Iran and Egypt have been tense since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution. Egypt has repeatedly accused Iran of supporting the militants who killed President Anwar El-Sadat in 1981. Iran was offended when Egypt gave sanctuary to its shah ousted after the 1979 Revolution. The shah was buried in Cairo.