President Hosni Mubarak discusses Wednesday with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan the current developments in the region. 

The talks will dwell particularly on the deteriorating situation in Iraq and the Palestinian territories. The talks will also take up the Syrian file in light of the report of Detelv Mehlis, head of the UN commission investigating the murder of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri, and the related UN Security Council resolution.

Mubarak-Annan talks take place in the wake of a series of preparatory meetings which the UN Secretary General's envoy Terje-Roed Larsen had held in the region during a tour which included Egypt.

Mubarak-Annan talks follow contacts which President Mubarak has held with Arab leaders especially Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Annan's talks with Mubarak in Cairo comes as part of Annan's Mideast tour which he will wrap up with a visit to Tunisia where he will attend the Information Society summit in Tunis.

The UN Chief is expected to deliver a lecture at the American University in Cairo on the UN role in solving international and regional issues.