Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday received a phone call from his French counterpart Jacques Chirac and the two leaders talked about the latest developments regarding the Syrian-Lebanese issue, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

Presidential spokesman Soliman Awad was quoted as saying the phone contact came within the context of continued talks Mubarak is holding with different sides to defuse a crisis over international pressure on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon.

Earlier in the day, Mubarak held a phone discussion with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abd al Aziz, a day after he met with visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh as part of efforts to seek a solution to the crisis.

Syria is under mounting international pressure to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14.

The Lebanese opposition blamed Syrian and pro-Syria Lebanese authorities for the death of Hariri and urged Syrian forces to withdraw.

The international community, especially the United States and France, urged Damascus to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1559 which demands Syria withdraw its 14,000 troops from Lebanon.

However, Syria indicated that it would proceed with pullout plan in accordance with the 1989 Taif Agreement ending Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war and calling for a redeployment and later withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua