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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher Sunday night termed as "baseless" the Israeli cabinet claims that Egypt meddles in its internal affairs, the official MENA news agency reported.
Ahmed made the remarks here following a meeting with visiting Haim Ramon, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Israeli Knesset (parliament),
After a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Israeli cabinet said Egypt's visit invitations to Israeli ministers and Labor members give the impression that Cairo is interfering in Israel's internal affairs.
Maher said the Labor party is part of the Israeli government and contacts were made with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adding that the Israeli defense and the interior ministers who visited Egypt are labor party members.
He stressed that Egypt is not a neutral party or a mediator, but rather a part of the Arab stance. Making peace and stability is in the interest of all parties in the region, he added.
Ramon, a senior member of the Israeli Labor Party, is the fifth labor party member to visit Egypt in a month.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres visited Egypt and held talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on ways to break the cycle of violence between the Palestinians and Israel.
Egypt has recently strengthened contacts with the Israeli Labor Party, a move that some analysts term as an effort to outflank Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
( August 12, 2002)
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