Sarkozy plans to visit Egypt

CAIRO, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy leads the parade of Western leaders planning visits to Egypt in the next few weeks for talks with President Hosni Mubarak.

Sarkozy's official visit begins Dec. 30, KUNA, the official Kuwaiti news agency, reported. He plans to arrive in the country several days earlier for a private trip to the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The agenda includes discussions of the Middle East peace process following the Annapolis conference and another one in Paris for donor countries. The two leaders also plan to discuss the presidential election in Lebanon.

Egyptian newspapers report that U.S. President George W. Bush plans to visit Cairo Jan. 16 during a tour of the region that begins Jan. 8. Mubarak plans to go to Italy at the end of the month for a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitali.