Mubarak in Syria; First Visit by Egypt Leader in 12 Years

President Hafez Assad welcomed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with a 21-gun salute Wednesday, signaling a new era in Arab unity.

A red carpet and a warm hug by Assad greeted Mubarak at the Damascus airport. They then held a lengthy private meeting.

Syrian state radio, in an unusual move for arriving leaders, gave live coverage to the visit, the first by an Egyptian leader in more than 12 years.

Partners in three major wars against Israel, the two nations fell out in 1977 over Cairo’s peace overtures to the Jewish state. The overtures led to an Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979.

However, Egypt and Syria have recently taken common stands on several issues.

They have criticized the United States over a non-binding resolution by Congress that says Jerusalem is and should be the capital of Israel. Most nations, including the United States, do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital.

Egypt and Syria have also expressed alarm at Soviet Jews flooding to Israel under recent Soviet reforms.

But Egyptian Foreign Minister Esmat Abdel Meguid conceded to reporters after Mubarak’s first round of talks with Assad that the two leaders still have to iron out difficulties that he did not specify.

“We are all for Arab solidarity . . . but we are certainly aware of the difficulties,” the foreign minister said.

Syria’s government newspaper, Tishrin, said Mubarak’s visit was at the initiative of the Syrian leader. The visit came a few days after Assad returned from talks in Moscow with Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev.