23 March 2004	Tuesday	01 Safar 1425

CAIRO, March 22: Egypt has decided to boycott Israeli celebrations of the 1979 peace treaty after the killing of Sheikh Yassin, officials said on Monday.

"What peace (is there) now? The world's on fire. Take part in what?" Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told reporters who asked if Egypt would go to the celebrations.

Egyptian officials confirmed later that a parliamentary delegation and a representative of the Egyptian foreign ministry would not go to Israel for the 25th anniversary of the treaty, signed on March 26, 1979, by then president Anwar Sadat for Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin for Israel.

Egypt was the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel, but Israelis continue to complain that the peace has been cold. Egypt says relations depend on Israel's conduct. -Reuters