Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today discussed how Mr Mubarak's US trip might help Arab-Israeli peace prospects, Egyptian Foreign Minister Mr Ahmed Maher said.
Mr Khaddam handed Mr Mubarak a message from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about "the Middle East situation and hopes the Syrians had for Mubarak's visit to Washington to advance the peace process," Mr Maher told journalists after the meeting.
The message stresses Syria's "appreciation for the role undertaken by Egypt to lead the region toward stability on the basis of a settlement of the Palestinian and the Middle East problems within the context of international legitimacy," he said.
Mr Mubarak will meet his US counterpart Mr George W. Bush on June 7-8th in Camp David, the US.
"Mr Khaddam's visit to Egypt comes in the context of continuous consultations between the two (Syrian and Egyptian) presidents," he added.
Mr Khaddam left Cairo for Damascus following his talks with Egyptian officials, sources at the airport said.
Mr Assad also held telephone talks with Mr Mubarak yesterday evening, the official Egyptian daily Al-Akhbarsaid.
The two leaders "exchanged views on the efforts and contacts being made by the parties concerned with the peace process" in the Middle East, the paper said.
AFP