"We're trying to work hard to create conditions for negotiation to continue and we hope to have this phase of this process completed in the next few weeks," spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters after an hour-long meeting between Mubarak and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a Washington hotel.

Crowley said Egypt and the United States agreed that all sides - Israel, the Palestinians and Arab states - need to take "parallel steps" to set the stage for a return to negotiations. Those include a halt to settlement activity by Israel, Palestinian moves to improve security and gestures by Arab nations toward normalization of relations with Israel.

"I think Egypt and the United States share the view that we have to have parallel steps here," he said.

Only Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel. Arab states without relations with Israel have rebuffed U.S. appeals to take certain steps toward normalizing ties until Israel makes the first move.

Obama will meet with Mubarak at the White House on Tuesday.

The Associated Press, August 17, 2009