Arab issues and economic cooperation topped Egypt's diplomatic agenda this week, writes Nevine Khalil President Hosni Mubarak met several Arab and international envoys in Sharm El-Sheikh this week, including the king of Bahrain. Central to discussions were developments in Lebanon following Syria's decision to withdraw from its neighbour, the outcome of the Algiers Arab summit last month and unfolding events in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and the western Sudanese province of Darfur. Egypt is scheduled to host a five-way summit on 20 April in an effort to calm the tensions plaguing its southern neighbour. With King Hamad Bin Eissa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain on Monday and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal on Sunday, bilateral relations also featured in talks that came in the wake of the meetings of the supreme joint committees of Egyptian-Bahraini and Egyptian-Saudi Arabian relations. With UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen on Saturday the focus was on Syria's imminent withdrawal from Lebanon. Last month Syria completed the first stage of a two- phase withdrawal, pulling back to the Bekaa Valley and withdrawing nearly half the 14,000 troops stationed in Lebanon. Following up on the implementation of Resolution 1559, Larsen was in Egypt on the first leg of a regional tour that took in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The international enquiry into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al- Hariri also featured in his discussions. Larsen noted that it was up to the UN Security Council to take a decision on the formation of the international enquiry committee and a final decision had yet to be reached. A UN report published last week criticised the Lebanese authorities for not preventing or properly investigating the assassination and recommended an international enquiry. While in Egypt Larsen also met Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and Chief of Intelligence Omar Suleiman. Larsen's talks with Arab officials focussed on the ramifications for Lebanon once Syria completes its withdrawal; many fear chaos and another civil war. "My primary concern is that we have to move forward in the best interests of all countries concerned and also in such a way that we preserve stability in Lebanon," he said before heading to Syria and Lebanon. Presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters that Mubarak believes "Syria is responsive to UN Resolution 1559 and the withdrawal will be complete before May elections in Lebanon." What remains, according to Mubarak, is "containing the situation in Lebanon and maintaining the country's unity". Instability in the Middle East was the focus of talks between Mubarak and Bahrain's King Hamad on Monda. Hamad, who did not attend the Arab summit, was briefed on the event and its outcome. Both leaders agree that "the Arab League must be strengthened to become the vehicle to lead joint Arab work during this period of many challenges," according to presidential spokesman Awad. Mubarak also briefed Hamad on Cairo's plans to help the Palestinians rebuild their institutions, the dialogue among Palestinian factions and the Sharm El-Sheikh understandings. For his part, Hamad backed Egypt's campaign for a permanent seat on the Security Council, telling Mubarak Egypt's political and economic position fully qualified it for such a role. On bilateral relations, the two revisited the outcome of the Joint Egyptian-Bahraini Supreme Committee in Manama last December and called for more Bahraini investments in Egypt. Currently they stand at LE3 billion. Economic cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia were high on the agenda of Mubarak's meeting with Al-Faisal on Sunday. In statements following his meeting with members of the Egyptian-Saudi Business Council in Cairo on Sunday, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed said both sides were committed to removing any remaining obstacles to increased trade, as agreed during his recent visit to Riyadh. He also affirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to promoting trade exchange with Egypt and attracting more investment to the country. In February, Egypt and Saudi Arabia agreed to increase trade and industrial exchanges, coordinate over joint projects and activate the role of businessmen.
