Egypt's foreign minister left for Washington early Wednesday seeking a way to resolve differences by Israel and the PLO that continue to block Middle East peace talks. The unexpected trip by Foreign Minister Esmat Abdel-Meguid comes after two visits to Cairo in a week by Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organization chairman. Abdel-Meguid told reporters at Cairo International Airport he is carrying a message to President Bush from President Hosni Mubarak, who has been trying to start a dialogue between Arafat's organization and Israel. He did not elaborate except to say he would exchange views with U.S. officials on the situation in the Middle East. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that Abdel-Meguid and other senior officials, including Osama el-Baz, director of Mubarak's political office, ``are going to try and push forward Middle East peace efforts'' with U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Israel has repeatedly declined to meet with the PLO leadership, saying it is an organization bent on destroying the Jewish homeland.
