Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit held a session of talks Thursday with visiting acting Lebanese Foreign Minister Tareq Mitri.

Abul-Gheit warned that the lapse of time without reaching an agreement on the vexed issue of an international tribunal to probe the killing of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri did not serve Lebanon's interests.

He urged Lebanese constitutional institutions to take a decision in this respect instead of referring the issue to the United Nations Security Council.

Abul-Gheit exhorted any Lebanese party having suggestions in this regard to present it to the government to be mulled from the legal viewpoint and, hence, the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies would endorse a national reconciliation agreement.

Meantime, Abul-Gheit noted that the convocation of the Arab League committee on the Arab peace initiative in Cairo Wednesday reflected the Arab nation keenness on realizing peace in the region, stressing that normalizing ties with Israel was tied with Tel Aviv's commitment to Arab and international terms of reference.

Emerging from the meeting, the Lebanese official said they discussed the outcome of recent Arab talks on the Arab Peace Initiative and efforts to reactivate it and promote it internationally.

Talks also covered the situation in Lebanon, the acting minister said praising Egypt's supportive stands and its efforts to consolidate the Lebanese national dialogue to help Lebanon overcome its current political crisis. A number of other Arab affairs were also tackled, he pointed out.

On another plane, Abul-Gheit held talks Thursday morning with visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs David Satterfield on the Iraqi file.

Abul-Gheit expressed sorrow over the presence of some powers in Iraq that seek to destroy all the country's hopes for realizing reconciliation and stability.

He expressed Egypt's strong determination to work against those wicked powers and intensify efforts to serve the Iraqi peace process.

Emerging from the meeting, the American official said the talks were good and covered various matters connected with the Iraqi dossier, expressing the US welcome of Egypt's hosting of upcoming meetings on Iraq in Sharm El-Sheikh.

On the Palestinian level, Abul-Gheit received Thursday his Palestinian counterpart Ziad Abu Amr.

Abul-Gheit denied reports that amendments will be introduced to the Arab peace initiative re-launched during the recent Arab summit in Riyadh.

Abul-Gheit underscored the importance of rallying support for the Arab peace initiative, noting that Arab countries were seeking to push forward the Palestinian Israeli negotiations as well as the aspired peace process.

He called for continuing to press Israel to accept the overture, noting that if Israel took positive measures with regard to the Palestinian issue and proved that it was serious about the peace process, the Arab side would hold expanded contacts with it.

During his meeting with Abu Amr, Abul-Gheit stressed the importance of restoring order in the Palestinian territories.

Abul-Gheit voiced hope that a new Palestinian security plan would be capable of containing the situation in the territories.