Ahead of the Arab League meeting, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called late on Saturday her Egyptian counterpart Mohammad Amr to "compare notes" on Syria. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that Hillary Clinton called the Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr "to follow up with the civilian leadership on the President Barack Obama's call with General (Mohammad Hussein) Tantawi, Chairman of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and to review the same issues". "They also compared notes on Syria in advance of the Arab League meetings this weekend", concluded the statement, according to a report of Kuwait News Agency "KUNA". Obama called Tantawi last Friday to discuss Egypt's transition to democracy and allowing the non-governmental organizations to operate freely. Clinton also called late on Saturday French foreign minister Alain Juppe to also compare notes on the situation in Syria ahead of the Arab League meeting. "The Secretary expressed profound condolences on behalf of the American people for the deaths of four French soldiers in Afghanistan this week. She and Juppe agreed that the US and France should work together with ISAF partners and the Government of Afghanistan to ensure the continued strength and effectiveness of the mission", noted the State Department.
