Lusaka — EGYPT'S foreign affairs minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit yesterday said the fight against international terrorism requires the holding of an international summit to agree on a comprehensive approach to combat the vice.

Talking to journalists at Lusaka International Airport, Aboul-Gheit who will today hold talks with President Mwanawasa said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's offer in fighting terrorism was a recommendation that the international community needs to meets to agree on specific measures.

"We are of the view of holding an international summit on terrorism to agree on a comprehensive approach...agree on specific measures that call for cooperation of all countries and societies under the UN so as to get policies that are conducive to all," he said.

Aboul-Gheit said the idea of an international summit on terrorism was under consideration by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

On the Middle East, he said Egypt as an African state and member of the Arab League worked tirelessly to see that the Palestine-Israeli conflict ended.

"Our role in Middle East's Palestine-Israeli dispute is to try to help both sides reach a settlement that might lead to a free and viable Palestinian state," he said.

Aboul-Gheit said the Palestine-Israeli dispute called for Egypt's energetic effort. He said Egypt was currently preparing ground for the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

"We are preparing grounds to create a better environment where both sides feel at ease when they return to the negotiating table," he said. "I want to take advantage of my visit to thank Zambia for her support to Palestine and the just cause of Palestinians."

Aboul-Gheit said Zambia's position of supporting a free and viable Palestinian state had been proper.

And Aboul-Gheit said the rise in global oil prices would lead to most products' prices rising.

"One cannot isolate prices of oil from prices of raw materials," he said. "Any movement on oil prices would lead to negative or positive price adjustments of raw materials."

Aboul-Gheit said this was his first visit to Zambia and the Southern Africa region. He said he was in the country to strengthen the Egypt-Zambia relations and activating further the objectives of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to which Egypt was member.

He said he would deliver President Mubarak's message to President Mwanawasa.

Aboul-Gheit said during his trip, he would cover South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and Sudan.