Ismail Serageldin, Librarian of Alexandria, headed the Egyptian delegation to the first Japan-Arab dialogue. The Dialogue was initiated in response to a request by Prime Minister Koizumi to both President Mubarak of Egypt and Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. It is a special informal (track two) dialogue of eminent persons. The Japanese delegation was headed by Former Prime Minister Hashimoto. Prime Minister Atef Ebeid then named Serageldin to head the Egyptian Delegation, which comprises Dr. Osama Elbaz, Advisor to the President, Dr. Hatem El-Qaranshawy, Advisor to the PM, Dr. Farouk Ismail former President of Cairo University and Abdel-Fattah Shabana, Former Egyptian Ambassador to Japan.
The Saudi Delegation was to be headed by Prince Saud Al-Fasial, minister of Foreign affairs, and comprises Ministers Al-Gosaibi and Al-Yamani. Dr. Elbaz and Prince Saud could not attend the first meeting of the dialogue held in Tokyo 4-5 September. Serageldins opening remarks to the Forum were exceptionally well received.
The dialogue was extremely successful, and resulted in a joint communiqu by the three delegations, read to the press by Former PM Hashimoto, with Serageldin and Minister Al-Gosaibi at his side.
The next meeting of the dialogue, early in 2004, will be hosted by Egypt at the New Library of Alexandria.