Mubarak, Khalifa urge greater cooperation

CAIRO, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and United Arab Emirates President Sheik Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan are calling for greater cooperation to enhance security.

Mubarak recently spent two days meeting with Khalifa in the UAE to discuss current developments in the Arab world. Officials say the two addressed the situation between Israelis and Palestinians, Lebanon, Iraq, Darfur and security in the Persian Gulf along with the current state of the Iranian nuclear program, the Egyptian government news reported.

Mubarak and Khalifa discussed how to enhance measures to boost bilateral relations between the countries and the need for greater cooperation in the face of evolving security in the region.

"Mubarak and Sheik Khalifa expressed their keenness on the need for reactivating the joint Arab action and consulting on all issues of interest to Arabs and Muslims in view of the joint vision of the Arab and Islamic security," the release said.

Mubarak and Khalifa also reviewed the progress of the peace process efforts exerted for achieving "security and stability, the resumption of the peace process in line with the international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative," the release said.