Within the framework of the Egyptian intensified contacts to contain the volatile situation in the area especially in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, President Hosni Mubarak received Sunday20/8/2006 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani for talks on the Arab and regional arenas, especially the situation in Palestine and Lebanon following the recent Israeli aggressions.

The two leaders' talks began following the arrival of the Qatari Emir at the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis.

President Mubarak and the Qatari Emir continued their talks at a dinner banquet extended by the President in honor of the Qatari Emir and his accompanying delegation.

For his part, Ahmed Abul -Gheit said on Sunday 20/8/2006 that President Hosni Mubarak and visiting Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani discussed the latest developments on the Arab and regional arenas .

The two Arab leaders focused on the situation in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and the Gulf, he told a joint press conference with his Qatori counterpart Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-
Thani following the meeting

The Qatari minister lauded the leaders' talks as good and constructive.

Abul -Gheit dismissed claims about an Egyptian-Jordanian- Saudi plan to revive the peace process.

He said the Arab foreign ministers decided Sunday to send a delegation to the UN to bring the situation in the Middle East before the Security Council.

They assigned the Arab group in the UN to call a meeting of the UN Security Council in September, added Abul Gheit.

The Qatari Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of the Arab foreign ministers' decision in Beirut to delegate a team to New York to expound the Arab viewpoint before the UN Security Council voted on the Lebanon resolution.

Mubarak and Hamad are interested in giving an impetus to the peace process in view of the crises in the region and incessant Israeli violations of the international legitimacy, he said.

The top diplomat called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility towards peace and stability in the -Middle East.

On bilateral relations, he said during President Mubarak's latest visit to Doha, the two leaders probed means to promote trade and investment cooperation.

A number of joint investments were agreed upon during the talks, he said, adding that the two leaders reviewed the implementation of previous decisions.

On an international peace conference to be held in Austria, Abul-Gheit said the conference was among the available options.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will tour the region nextweek, including Egypt, and Annan will listen to various views of the region countries, he added.

On Egyptian participation in the expanded UNIFIL, Abul-Gheit said the matter was closed.
The Foreign Minister had earlier said that Cairo would not contribute with troops to the UNIFIL.
On the Israeli violation of UN resolution 1701, the foreign minister said he held contacts earlier Sunday with the five permanent members of the UNSC.

He cautioned such Israeli violations might provoke the Lebanese to respond and bring the situation to square one.

In addition to this, President Hosni Mubarak received a message from King Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz of Saudi Arabia. The message was handed by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.