CAIRO, May 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met on Thursday with visiting US Senate majority leader William H. Frist on a number of regional and international issues, the official MENA news agency reported.

    Describing his talk with Mubarak as "very fruitful," Frist said the meeting focused on the latest developments of the Mideast peace process, Israel's planned Gaza pullout and the Syrian-Lebanese issue.

    The talk also touched on Egypt's political reforms and arrangements for its September presidential elections, Frist said.

    Mubarak proposed to the parliament in February that the constitution be amended to allow more than one candidate to stand in the presidential race.

    Under Egypt's current political system, the president is not elected directly by the electorate. Instead, the parliament chooses a sole candidate first and then the only nominee is put to a referendum.

    The United States, which pours some 2 billion US dollars in aid to Egypt every year, has stepped up pressure on the key Mideast ally to usher in political reforms.

    However, Egypt maintains any reform should be homegrown and can not be imposed from outside.

    Frist arrived here Wednesday on a two-day visit to Egypt as part of a regional tour, which has taken him to Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Enditem