At the outset of the meeting, Peres told Mubarak that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is keen to start direct talks with the Palestinians immediately in an effort to reach a signed agreement based on a two-state solution, Peres’ office said in a statement released Sunday.
 

Peres thanked Mubarak for maintaining a strong stand in the midst of extremists seeking to torpedo the peace process. He told the Egyptian leader, “Israeli and Egyptian mothers and sons owe you a debt of gratitude. Israel respects and recognizes your efforts to maintain calm and stability in the Middle East, as well as your efforts to secure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,” Peres said.
 

Peres’ office said the two also discussed the Iranian nuclear threat and the recent sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, efforts made to release Shalit and other issues aimed at strengthening the strategic ties between the two countries.
 

Present at the meeting were Egyptian intelligence head Gen. Omar Suleiman and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

The two later met with Peres’ military attaché Brig.Gen. Hasson Hasson and the sides agreed to establish a joint team to search for Israeli soldiers missing in action in Egypt since the Yom Kippur war.