An expanded closed-door meeting of Foreign Ministers of 8 Arab countries and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began today at the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh. The meeting was chaired by Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was led by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting discussed a number of important files including the peace process in Iraq, the security of the Arabian Gulf and the issues of the spread of nuclear threat and terrorism. The participants were briefed on the Egyptian perspective on all issues presented in the agenda including the U.S President's call for an international conference on Palestine in addition to the mission of Tony Blair -- the Quartet's special envoy. There will be a declaration of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of 8 Arab countries with Rice which Egypt has prepared after consultations with all sides. The declaration will reflect the participants' points of views on the most important issues pertaining to the Region.
