Egypt described as groundless press reports that it invited Darfur rebel groups for a meeting in Cairo, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday 14/8/2007.

"No invitation has been extended to any rebel groups for a meeting in Cairo," said the spokesman.

He added that Egypt's efforts were aimed at backing the UN and AU envoys in order to push ahead negotiations between the Sudanese government and rebel movements in the Sudan's western region of Darfur.

"Egypt's participation in the Abuja holdouts meeting in the Tanzanian city of Arusha was meant to support the political process in the war-ravaged Darfur region," he said.