SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Saudi King Abdullah held talks here yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on major regional issues, including Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq.

Apart from discussing ways of further strengthening bilateral ties, the Saudi-Egyptian summit meeting, which was held at the Conference Center of this Red Sea resort, focused on Arab efforts to find a solution to the political crisis in Lebanon.

The two leaders also called for a just and comprehensive Middle East settlement that would ensure the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

They further reviewed the situation in Iraq, and emphasized the need to protect the country’s security and territorial integrity.

Saudi Ambassador to Cairo Hisham Nazer said the talks were “highly important” in light of the current challenges facing the region. King Abdullah’s visit was aimed at finding solutions to crises in the region, he said.

“The developments that are taking place in the region demand continuous consultation and coordination between Saudi Arabia and Egypt in light of their strong position at regional and international levels,” the ambassador said.

He added that the meeting reflected the desire of both leaders to consult each other on key issues.

“The Sharm El-Sheikh meeting reflects the strong and historic relations between the two countries,” he told the Saudi Press Agency. “These relations represent one of the central pillars of Arab cooperation,” he added.

On arrival at Sharm El-Sheikh airport, King Abdullah was received by Mubarak and senior Cabinet members, including Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif, Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

The meeting comes after last month’s Arab Summit in Damascus, which both leaders did not attend due to Syria’s controversial role in Lebanon’s political crisis. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal had earlier said the Damascus summit lacked the spirit of previous Arab summits. “We have not found that spirit in this summit. And that is why there has been an absence (of leaders) and a low-level representation,” he added.

Expressing regret that some Lebanese political parties “attacked” the Arab League’s resolution to bring an end to the crisis, Prince Saud called for the organization to take measures against countries that breach resolutions.

He denied that the Kingdom had pressured leaders of other countries to not attend the summit. “These are sovereign states. I do not think that they follow policies of another state,” Prince Saud said. -Agencies