Egypt delays sending ambassador to Moscow

Egypt has delayed, for the time being, reestablishment of ambassadorial ties with Moscow. The Egyptian charge d'affaires here, who ended his tour Aug. 29, will not be replaced by a full ambassador but by another charge, Monitor Moscow correspondent Ned Temko reports. The Egyptian Embassy has declined to comment. But according to other Western and Arab diplomatic sources in Moscow, reestablishment of ambassadorial ties, cut under the late President Anwar Sadat, is only a matter of time. Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak has in effect said so publicly, although he has apparently decided the time is not yet ripe. The sources say Soviet officials privately indicated disappointment at the delay.