CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, whose country is a key US ally in the region, said on Wednesday he hoped American president-elect Barack Obama would work towards peace in the Middle East.
Mubarak sent a telegram to congratulate Obama on his victory in the US presidential elections, the official MENA news agency reported, in which he expressed hope Obama would work towards peace and stability in the Middle East.
We await your constructive participation toward a solution to the Palestinian question and the realization of a just and comprehensive peace, which is the main condition for security and stability in the Middle East, Mubarak said.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has also expressed hope Obama would help speed up efforts to achieve peace, particularly since a resolution of the Palestinian problem and the Israeli-Arab conflict is key to world peace.
The United States played a key role in reviving peace talks last year, after a seven-year hiatus, but little tangible progress has been achieved since a November 2007 conference President George W. Bush hosted in Annapolis, Maryland. -AFP
