Sharm el-Sheikh, 22 Jan (AKI/APP) – Pakistan and Egypt on Monday expressed agreed on the need for new initiatives for resolving the Palestinian dispute and to counter extremism and terrorism. President General Pervez Musharraf and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met for an hour and a half at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss the Middle East situation. The meeting was followed by delegation level talks
Musharraf who is on a four-day visit to five Arab countries is discussing new initiatives for the resolution of the Palestine issue by developing a consensus in the Ummah – global Muslim community – on a fresh strategy to counter what the President said was an “explosive situation.”
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Iraq, regional and international issues, and bilateral affairs. President Musharraf and President Mubarak also urged adoption of measures to address the scourge of terrorism that was eating into the very fabric of the Muslim world.
Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Ghet later told reporters that the meeting was “good and useful” with both sides expressing identity of views. Kasuri said President Musharraf has been expressing concern at the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories with the world and Muslim leaders and has been urging collective efforts by key Muslim countries.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister said there was an understanding that “the Muslim countries need to do more, to reconcile their differences” saying Egypt endorses the views of Pakistan on this matter.
President Musharraf left for Amman late Monday where he will discuss with King Abdullah II the Middle East situation, before heading for Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
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