Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met on Friday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei over Egypt's role following a promised Israeli pullout of the Gaza Strip.

The meeting lasted for half an hour, and no statement was released following the meeting. Mubarak and Qurei did not show up before the press.

According to Egypt's official MENA news agency, the two men "discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and an Egyptian initiative aimed at guaranteeing the implementation of the Israeli withdrawal as part of the roadmap peace plan."

Qurei arrived here on Wednesday and was originally expected to meet the next day with Mubarak, who is playing a key role in helping iron out differences between the Palestinians and Israel. But the meeting was canceled.

On Thursday, Qurei pressed for US support for an Egyptian offer to help keep order in the Gaza Strip following the Israeli move.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Arab League chief Amr Moussa, Qurei said that it was imperative to rally unconditional support from the United States and other parties of the Quartet Committee to ensure that the Egyptian mission would succeed.

The quartet, which groups the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union, has worked out a Middle East peace plan, or the roadmap, which envisions a full Palestinian state by 2005.

"Israel must not commit violation while Egypt is helping restructure the Palestinian security apparatus," Qurei said.

Egypt has offered to send 150 to 200 officers and security experts on a six-month mission to help train a 30,000-strong Palestinian security force.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to evacuate all 21 Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip and four other isolated enclaves in the northern West Bank by the end of next year and withdraw troops.