Egypt turns down invitation to G-8 Summit

Cairo, May 24: Egypt has turned down a US
invitation to attend the G8 Summit of leading industrialised
nations next month, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said today.

Maher said in a television interview that President
Hosni Mubarak had other commitments.

He added that Tunisia had also declined to take part
in the summit, which is planned to discuss US president
George W. Bush's "greater middle east initiative."

The group of eight is made up of Britain, Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

Delegates at the just-ended Arab Summit in Tunis said
Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan and Saudi Arabia had also
been invited to the G8 meeting.

Bureau Report