US President George W. Bush telephoned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday to wish him a happy birthday and congratulate him on his son Gamal's marriage. Serving his fifth 6-year term, Mubarak celebrated his 79th birthday on Saturday, the day of the marriage of his 43-year-old son, who is for all intents and purposes the heir apparent to the throne presidency.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush thanked Mubarak for agreeing to see Vice President Dick Cheney during Cheney's coming trip to the Middle East to shore up support for Iraq's struggling government. "They discussed the recent conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, the president commenting that the meetings had been very well organized adn led by Egypt and provided important support for Iraq and its government," Snow said. |