President Mubarak returned home last night after a flight visit to Saudi Arabia during which he had talks with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. The talks between the two leaders focused on the need for adopting a unified stance at Rome Conference on the Lebanese crisis, which will be held today. Talks also asserted that the two countries are having no undeclared agenda and that they rejected war by proxy for the interest of any regional powers in the region since war is of no avail. The two countries stressed the need for immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Lebanon as preconditions would increase spelling blood of the innocents in Lebanon.

Ambassador Soliman Awwad, the presidential spokesman said Egypt's stance is clear and that Egypt is adopting a neutral stance among different Lebanese factions.

On the other hand, President Hosni Mubarak warned yesterday of the current developments in the region saying that chaos is destructive not constructive. In statements before leaving for Riyadh to meet King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, Mubarak said he will continue talks with all parties concerned at the regional and international levels. In his statements, Mubarak called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.

 

The innocent people of Lebanon are those who are suffering, he noted, adding a clear-cut resolution is needed to end the crisis in Lebanon. On his visit to Saudi Arabia, Mubarak said there are Egyptian-Saudi-Jordanian efforts for reaching an end of the crisis. The President noted that discussions in Saudi Arabia are similar to those he had with Syria, Jordan and other parties.

On the proposed Arab summit, President Mubarak told reporters that the quorum for holding the summit has not yet been reached. He said that Rome will host Wednesday a conference on Lebanon's developments. The Arab stance will be defined after meetings in Rome, added the President. On an Egyptian vision for Rome meetings, the President said Cairo will listen to the views proposed by the other parties. Egypt has its own vision on the developments in Lebanon, he added. The conferees should take into consideration the hazardous situation in Lebanon, added President Mubarak. Women and children are being killed and Lebanon is being destroyed, he said. The President warned of further deterioration, saying that neither Hizbollah nor Israel will find a way out.

On the differences between the Arab and US stances on a ceasefire, President Mubarak said each party has its own considerations. He said there were several non-Arab and Islamic countries calling for a ceasefire. He noted that what is happening in the Middle East is a destructive not constructive chaos. In case that chaos was not contained, it will spread to the whole region, he warned. President Mubarak's visit to Saudi Arabia came in line with Egyptian contacts with Arab leaders to address the current deterioration in Lebanon.