More than 1,000 business and political leaders from around the world have met in Egypt for talks on the Middle East's economic development.
The delegates at the World Economic Forum met under tight security at the Sharm el- Sheik resort. They discussed the expansion of Middle Eastern businesses in the global market as well as the political and regional developments that affect them.
U.S the sidelines of the meetings, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni for the two sides highest level talks in months.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak opened the meeting Saturday, saying peace and development are indivisible.
But he did not directly comment on recent weeks of political upheaval in Egypt, including the arrests of hundreds of reform activists.
Human Rights Watch urged participants at the World Economic Forum to make it clear that Egypt's suppression of dissent would alienate investors.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
