Xinhua General News Service
April 14, 2007 Saturday 1:00 PM EST
Egypt, Armenia probe situation in Mideast, Central Asia
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with his visiting Armenian
counterpart Robert Kocharyan Saturday to probe the developments in
the Middle East and Central Asia, a senior Egyptian official said.
Mubarak and Kocharyan discussed the Iranian nuclear file, situation
in Iraq and the Gulf, the Egyptian official MENA news agency quoted
Presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad as saying.
Armenia, which shares its southern borders with Iran, was
particularly interested in Tehran’s nuclear file, he added.
Turning to the situation in Central Asia, the two leaders focused on
the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and
Mubarak called for a peaceful settlement for the dispute to bring
about stability to Central Asia, Awwad added.
In addition, the two presidents discussed means to promote bilateral
cooperation, especially in fields of trade exchange and joint
investments. Egypt and Armenia are expected to sign a number of
agreements and cooperation protocols in various sectors, the
spokesman said.
Kocharyan, who arrived here earlier in the day, is on a three- day
visit to Egypt, during which he will also meet with Arab League
Secretary General Amr Moussa on regional issues, including efforts to
make a breakthrough in the stalled Mideast peace process.
Egypt, the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic
ties with Armenia after it announced independence from the former
Soviet Union in 1991, has constant coordination and contacts with
Armenia at international forums, especially the UN, according to the
spokesman.