General Assembly President holds talks with Egyptian leaders

The global food crisis, Security Council reform and the most recent developments in the Middle East have topped the agenda during talks in Cairo between General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr. Kerim and Mr. Mubarak held talks yesterday, the first day of the Assembly President’s two-day visit to Egypt, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson. Today Mr. Kerim met with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and also delivered a lecture last night to the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.

During their talks Mr. Mubarak informed Mr. Kerim he plans to attend the upcoming Rome summit on the food crisis that is being organized by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The prices of many everyday items, such as wheat, rice and corn, have soared in recent months, placing them out of reach of many consumers in developing countries.

Mr. Kerim stressed the need for the task force recently formed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to work speedily to both assess the situation and propose solutions to the crisis.

Aside from the food crisis, UN reform and the Middle East situation, Mr. Kerim and the Egyptian leaders also discussed the progress so far towards achieving the internationally agreed anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Assembly President now travels to Israel for scheduled talks with that country’s President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and to attend the conference “Facing Tomorrow,” which is being held in Jerusalem. He is also expected to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas tomorrow afternoon in Ramallah.