Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al- Jaafari said Sunday that he didn't have any information that Egypt's slain envoy had contact with insurgents in Iraq.

"As for me I don't have any information that the late Ihab el- Sharif held dialogue or meeting with any Iraqi entity," Jaafari told a press conference.

"The attack on el-Sharif was an attempt to assassinate Iraqi- Egyptian relations," Jaafari said.

He said he had talked with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak by telephone to assert "the necessity of enhancing Arab-Iraqi relations in general and Egyptian-Iraqi relations in particular."

"I'm grateful for this excellent understanding from the Egyptian president," Jaafari said, praising Egypt for its "strategic location, civilized history and its effective role in the Arab League."

His remarks came one day after Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Gheit expressed his astonishment at statements attributed to Iraqi officials that they suspected el-Sharif had contacts with insurgents.

Iraq's al-Qaida wing claimed on Thursday that it had executed el-Sharif, five days after kidnapping him in Baghdad, but provided no evidence on his killing.

However, Egyptian officials said they were convinced that el- Sharif, 51, was dead.

Last month, Egypt became the first Arab country to respond to a US call for upgrading diplomatic missions in Baghdad and appointed el-Sharif as ambassador.

Egypt has cut the size of diplomatic mission in Baghdad in the aftermath of the slaying of its envoy there.

Source: Xinhua