Egypt tries to resolve dispute

Cairo: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday held separate talks with two senior Lebanese and Syrian officials, which focused on defusing tensions between Beirut and Damascus, according to Egyptian officials.

Mubarak conferred with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm Al Shaikh. Their meeting, the second in less than three months, focused on national dialogue talks among Lebanese factions and the Lebanese-Syrian crisis.

Ties between Beirut and Damascus have been strained since the slaying of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in a massive bombing in February, 2005. The murder was blamed on Syria, which denied any involvement.

Shortly after his meeting with Siniora, Mubarak conferred with Syrian Vice-President Farouk Al Shar'a. The Syrian official's brief visit to Egypt was part of a tour, which is also taking him to Saudi Arabia ahead of next week's Arab summit.

Egypt's official Middle East News Agency said Al Shar'a's visit was part of "intense consultations" held by Mubarak on the "developments of the Lebanese-Syrian file and Egyptian efforts to clear up the atmosphere before the Arab summit". Arab leaders will meet on March 28 in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum for a regular summit meeting. Mubarak first held a one-on-one meeting with Al-Shar'a before his Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Geit and Chief of Egyptian Intelligence Service Omar Sulaiman joined the talks.

Yesterday's talks were seen as a bid by Egypt to hammer out a compromise to repair the Syrian and Lebanese ties.

"Mubarak apparently wanted to listen to the views of both parties in preparation for adopting a pan-Arab stance during the Khartoum summit conference," said Emad Ghad of the state-run Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

"I think Mubarak has got a green light from the US in particular to make this effort," Ghad told Gulf News.

Ghad believes that the US, having trouble in Iraq and an escalating standoff with Iran over its nuclear aspirations, is unprepared for a fresh flashpoint in the Middle East.

Agreeing, Hassan Bakr, a professor of political science, says that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are spearheading efforts in an attempt to provide an Arab solution to the Syrian-Lebanese crisis.

"It is a self-defence tactic. Egypt realises that a military hit at Syria would seriously threaten its security and mean it is the next target."

- The writer is a journalist based in Cairo.

GOVERNMENT APPROVAL
Hamas may miss Arab summit

Hamas said yesterday its presentation of a new Palestinian government for parliamentary approval next week would force the group to miss a two-day Arab summit due to begin on Tuesday.

"Hamas will not participate in the Arab Summit in Sudan because some Palestinian parties have delayed the measures related to the presentation of a Hamas government to parliament," Mohammad Nazzal, a Hamas leader, said by telephone from Bahrain.

Meanwhile, Arab leaders meeting in Sudan next week should commit to giving Hamas financial support, the head of Egypt's largest Islamic group, the Muslim Brotherhood, said in a statement yesterday.

Bortherhood leader Mohammad Mahdi Akef also called on the upcoming Arab League summit in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to extend political, economic and financial support to the Palestinian government.

- Reuters & AP