Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in an interview published on Saturday that he saw hopeful

signs that big powers are turning their attention to a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"There are signs in that sense which have recently come from important international capitals ... We hope that this will give birth to urgent and serious movement which will break the stalemate," he told the Egyptian state newspaper al-Ahram. "There is a new window for hope, a chance to achieve peace

which must not be lost as many chances have been lost before," President Mubarak added. (Reuters)