. . . Having You To Talk With

By DAVID ELLIS

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has consistently ignored Muammar Gaddafi's repeated calls to merge the two countries in a pan-Arab union. But economic necessity is drawing Egypt and Libya closer together. In the interest of improved relations, Mubarak is shrugging off the Libyan's antics. (A recent Gaddafi stunt: using a tractor to demolish an Egyptian border post.) Earlier this month, when Mubarak visited Tripoli for a 12-hour summit, the Egyptian leader said his country welcomed economic cooperation with Libya and expressed predictable support for "the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people." Western diplomats say Gaddafi may return the favor by allowing as many as 1 million Egyptians to seek employment in Libya.

With reporting by Sidney Urquart