Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit, head of the Egyptian delegation in Rome Conference on Lebanon, said the Egyptian-Saudi summit between President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia was a part of Arab efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon, putting an end to the deteriorating situation there, along with supporting the Lebanese and maintaining Lebanon's interests.

The Foreign Minister said Egypt's move to contain the situation in Lebanon did not start yesterday, as President Mubarak acted as soon as the crisis erupted.

The Egyptian diplomatic action on this score did not stop for a second, he said, adding that any action in this regard aimed at realizing the objectives, away from any clash, as only Israel would benefit from such a clash. We should not let the chance slip through Israel's fingers in a way that would prevent it from realizing additional benefits in its relation with the international community, Abul-Gheit said.

Egypt will hold intensive contacts with a number of foreign ministers participating in a conference on Lebanon to open in the Italian capital Rome Wednesday, including the Italian Foreign Minister who will head the conference, as well as foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Russia, Spain and Turkey, according to the Egyptian Minister. However, Abul-Gheit warned of differences in views on the international level vis-à-vis containing the current crisis in Lebanon.

Answering a question on whether there were specific views, Abul-Gheit said that Egypt might reiterate its call for a ceasefire and bringing military operations to an end. Answering a question on whether Rome Conference could reach any results now that key parties such as Israel and Syria would not be attending the gathering, Abul-Gheit voiced belief that Israel, being the party that carried out all these violent acts would not participate in such a meeting.

Concerning the borders issue, the Egyptian Minister said, Egypt calls for redrawing the blue line in Lebanon, in a way that would help the Lebanese obtain their legitimate rights. The meeting will also discuss a prisoners' swap, along with providing required humanitarian aid to all displaced Lebanese, he added.

Abul-Gheit added that the conference has a humanitarian dimension focusing on helping the Lebanese evacuators and offering human aid to secure a position for the Lebanese people to avert them a very hard dilemma. He warned against the current separations in the international vision towards containing the crisis.

The foreign minister said Egypt prefers focusing on the so-called the international peacekeeping force existed in Lebanon since 1978 under the name of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon "Unifil" which shall be renewed before 31 July. He noted that the UNIFIL shall be ordered to activate works and supervise the fire-line or the borders-line till attendance of the greatest and strongest force to control the situation on the ground.

Abul-Gheit pointed out that achieving security for Israel comes according to mutual commitments and through realizing a political accord between Israel and the Lebanese government. He stressed that the internal Lebanese accordance is essential in order to avoid separations and clashes in which only the Lebanese people is the looser.

Abul-Gheit said the Lebanese people are in agreement on the necessity of implementing the resolution no. 1559 and Al Taef agreement, i.e. dissolving militias in the frame of peace and stability but not confrontation. He added that those who asked that the multinational force to be a force of imposing and disarmament, I think it will not be achieved as the situation will not allow said matter and commitment shall be made for rationalism and objectivity. Some one shall not imagine that a strange or foreign force will succeed in what the Israelis did not.

Abul-Gheit stressed that the peaceful settlement is required and shall come through the ceasefire or at least freezing the military operations and positions and withdrawal of the Israeli troops inside its territories to allow the "UNIFIL" to assume works.