Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak arrived in Syria on Sunday for talks with Syria's Bashar al-Assad on Iraq and tensions between Damascus and Washington over alleged Syrian chemical weapons. "The main topic would be the situation between Syria and the United States," said a diplomatic source. "The discussions would also tackle post-war Iraq and bilateral relations." A war of words between the United States and Syria over U.S. allegations that Syria may be developing chemical weapons has raised fears in the Arab world that Damascus could be the next target of the U.S.-led war against Iraq.

Syria denied U.S. accusations that also included giving safe haven to officials linked to neighboring Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
U.S. officials have also charged that Syria, on a U.S. list of states which it says support terrorism, sent military equipment to Iraq and allowed fighters to cross into Iraq to fight U.S.-led troops.

Mubarak is expected to return to Cairo later on Sunday after the unannounced visit to Damascus.

PHOTO CAPTION

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) meets Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara in Cairo April 17, 2003. In response to a question about the U.S. accusation of having weapons of mass destruction and if Syria would allow weapons inspectors into the country, al-Shara said 'No, Syria won't allow any inspection. It will only participate with its (Arab) brothers and all of the states of the world in turning the Middle East into an area free of weapons of mass destruction.' Photo by Aladin Abdel Naby/Reuters