Egyptian warning over Jerusalem

Peace drive: Mubarak (right) with the French prime minister

The Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, has warned that any Middle East peace deal must grant the Palestinians sovereignty over Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem to avoid a "tragedy".

Mr Mubarak was speaking on the second day of a visit to Paris, where he has been discussing the peace process with French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

"Those who do not support Palestinian sovereignty over Muslim holy sites are going to run into terrible problems," Mr Mubarak told the France 3 television channel. "A tragedy will spare no one."

Differences over Jerusalem are the main stumbling block

The Egyptian spokesman, Dr Usamah al-Baz, described as futile recent proposals to create various layers of sovereignty for Israelis and Palestinians in the city.

France, which holds the current EU presidency, was hosting a meeting of EU foreign ministers in the town of Evian on Saturday, with the peace process high on the agenda.

Deadline

Egypt, France and the United States are striving to get the peace talks back on track ahead of a 13 September deadline set by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the declaration of an independent state.

During his meeting with Mr Mubarak on Friday, President Chirac urged the Israelis and Palestinians to make an extra effort to reach a peace deal by the deadline.

Talks have remained stalled since the Israeli and Palestinian leaders failed to reach an accord at the Camp David summit near Washington in July.

France, a traditional friend of the Arabs, is advocating quiet diplomacy.

Mr Jospin said the sovereignty issue could be resolved if mediators' efforts "respected the symbols, the convictions and faiths" of all concerned.

The EU is committed to recognising a Palestinian state, but privately diplomats say it would be better if the proclamation were made within the framework of a peace agreement.

The BBC's Oana Lungescu, reporting from Evian, says that while some foreign ministers have suggested the EU should press the Palestinians for a further delay, France believes a public statement to that effect would only complicate matters.