Egypt and the United States have agreed on wider cooperation following talks in Washington between United States Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger and Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mr. Ismail Fahmy.

In a communique issued on Monday (19 August) after the talks, Mr. Fahmy and Dr. Henry Kissinger agreed that a Middle East settlement should take into account the legitimate interests of Palestinians. Both sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress made towards closer cooperation between their two countries.

The talks followed a recent meeting between Dr. Kissinger and King Hussein of Jordan. Dr. Kissinger gave the King assurances that withdrawals of Israeli troops would be one of the subjects discussed at future Middle East talks.

Despite these assurances, and the agreement that Palestinian interests would be taken into account in any future negotiations, the Secretary of State declined to commit himself any further until the end of the present round of talks. The Foreign Ministers of Israel, Syria, and Saudi Arabia are all due to visit Washington in the next few weeks.

SYNOPSIS: Egyptian Foreign Minister Mr. Ismail Fahmy and U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger have said their recent talks have brought the two countries closer together. Mr. Fahmy's week-long visit is one of a series of visits by Foreign Ministers in a new round of Middle-East peace negotiations.

Dr. Kissinger and Mr. Fahmy expressed their optimism about cooperation plans between Egypt and the United States. But despite assurances which the Secretary of State has made to Jordan's King Hussein about discussing troop withdrawals, and pledges to Mr. Fahmy to consider Palestinian interests, no decisions are to be taken on future Middle East talks until after the visits of the other Foreign Ministers.