Architect of Camp David treaty is dead

Cairo: Mustafa Khalil, a former Egyptian prime minister who was an architect of the 1979 Camp David peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, has died. He was 88.

Khalil died late on Saturday in a Cairo hospital, where he was being treated for an unspecified illness, the Egyptian state news agency, Mena, said.

Khalil, then secretary-general of the ruling Arab Socialist Union part, accompanied late president Anwar Sadat in his historic visit to occupied Jerusalem in November 1977. The visit paved the way for the negotiations mediated by then-US President Jimmy Carter.

Khalil, who served as the prime minister from 1978-1980, then headed the Egyptian team in negotiations with the Israelis at Camp David, which ended with the 1979 peace deal, the first between an Arab country and Israel.

"Khalil contributed in serving the country for over 50 years and took part in making peace and building the basis of development," former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali told Mena in reaction to Khalil's death.

Dan Meridor, a former Israeli Cabinet secretary, said: "He was one of those who helped shift the Middle East from an era of conflict to an era of stability and peace."

Khalil served as deputy chairman of ruling National Democratic Party until November.