His Majesty King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday underlined the need for enhancing Arab joint action and solidarity.

During a meeting in Cairo, which was joined later by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the two leaders said that the escalating challenges the region is facing necessitates serious and genuine efforts to institutionalize joint Arab action and to develop cooperation and coordination among Arab countries, to safeguard their interests.

Talks between the two sides also addressed means to enhance bilateral cooperation in all spheres.

The talks also addressed efforts under way to push the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis forward to arrive at a just settlement for the Palestinian issue that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The two leaders called for further support from the international community for peace negotiations, warning that wasting the opportunity at hand to make peace would have its repercussions on the security and stability of the entire region.

King Abdullah and Mubarak called on Israel to respond seriously to peace initiatives and honor its pledges in this regard.

Israel, they said, should stop all unilateral practices and procedures, calling for an immediate end, in particular, to its settlement activities in the Palestinian territories and the stifling blockade it is imposing on the Palestinians.

During the meeting, they also reviewed the outcome of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent visit to the region.

Abbas briefed King Abdullah and Mubarak on progress in negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis and the situation in the Palestinian territories.

The three leaders renewed a call for a more active US role in supporting and encouraging Mideast peace talks, saying such support is essential for the success of the upcoming efforts to push the process forward.

Meanwhile, Mubarak briefed King Abdullah on the outcome of his recent visit to Moscow, highlighting Russia's serious efforts to hold an international peace conference, in continuation of efforts launched at the Annapolis peace conference, which Washington hosted last November.