WASHINGTON (AFP) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has postponed his visit to Washington for Middle East peace talks with US President Barack Obama in order to mourn his dead grandson, a diplomat said Wednesday.
"The trip is delayed. He will not come," a diplomat told AFP on the condition of anonymity. "The president was affected by that so much, he loved his grandson so much."
The trip had been scheduled for May 26-27. The diplomat said a new date has not been proposed.
Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported Tuesday that Mohamed Mubarak, the 12-year-old son of President Mubarak's eldest son Alaa, died Monday "after health complications suffered during the last two days."
It did not list the cause of death.
The boy had been taken to Paris for treatment. First Lady Suzanne Mubarak on Monday cancelled a trip to London to be with her grandson, Al-Shorooq newspaper said Tuesday.
Mohammed's funeral took place in Cairo on Tuesday.
Mubarak's trip -- his first to the United States in five years -- was scheduled ahead of a visit by Obama to Egypt where he is to make his long-awaited address to the Muslim world.
Obama, trying to kickstart Middle East peacemaking, held talks here on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Obama is also due to meet Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on May 28.
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