Mubarak to Paris Match: ME peace tracks deadlocked, internal issues discussed
Egypt, Politics, 2/10/2000

Interviewed by "Paris Match" in its Thursday edition, President Hosni Mubarak said the situation in the Middle East remains deadlocked even after Ehud Barak had assumed the premiership in Israel.

On his evaluation of the present situation on the Syrian track, especially after his meeting with President Hafez Al-Assad of Syria, Mubarak said that the situation is in a stage of freeze.

"Syria sees that the principle of Israeli withdrawal from the lands occupied since 1967 should be decisively settled," the President said. He sensed from the Syrian side that the Israeli side is wavering and reluctant.

The President went on to say that he was apprised by the Syrians that Israel put conditions that Lebanon should attend discussions on the border issue.

He explained that while Netanyahu was premier he flatly rejected negotiations, broke previous pledges and did not respect even signed agreements. "Relations with Barak are much better," President Mubarak said, adding, however, that they were not easy. He went on to say that matters were progressing with less complications and voiced hope negotiations would resume.

The Egyptian leader reiterated Egypt's support for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), describing the Palestinian question as the core of the Middle East problem.

Noting that Egypt is the sole country offering Palestinian support in negotiations with Israel, Mubarak told the French magazine that in doing so, Egypt is motivated by its keenness in establishing a fair peace.

Egypt was the first Arab states to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Jordan followed in 1994. Asked if he is ready to go to Israel for peace, Mubarak said that such a visit would only complicate matters and weaken peace hopes.

He added that had he been confident that Israel would not take advantage of the visit "against our interests, I would have visited Jerusalem without the least hesitation."

He expressed his belief that such a visit at present would be counterproductive and that its consequences would be harmful to the Egyptian people who chose him to lead the country.

Asked about changes on the Middle East political scene in light of the demise of some Arab leaders and the alleged frail health conditions of Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, President Mubarak asserted that Arafat is in good health.

"I would like to say that change in rulers in the Middle East would not lead to a change in the political scene but rather to its complication," Mubarak said.

"Policy quality has nothing to do with a leader's age," Mubarak noted. As for the giant projects launched by Mubarak across the nation including a scheme in Toshka in southern Egypt to create a new delta, Mubarak said that these projects were subject to studies in the 60s and 70s but when he came to power and was faced with the problem of overpopulation in the age-old Nile valley he ordered a thorough study on the same project.

According to Mubarak, the study has come up with the current Toshka project designed to set up a new valley equipped with the same services available in any modern society including hospitals, schools, roads and railways.

"The industrial process is now underway in Toshka. We invite the private sector to contribute to it," Mubarak said.

Mubarak welcomed French investments in Toshka project and said that there are a number of foreign investors now in Toshka. he added that an airport, a railway and a network of roads had been built there.

"Agricultural products free of chemical fertilizers, grown in Toshka, have early found their way to the west," added Mubarak. Asked about the reason behind focusing on farming products free of chemical fertilizers, Mubarak said that the area of Toshka is located in the heart of the desert away from pollutants.

As for possibilities of war over water, Mubarak ruled out such wars, adding that both Egypt and Sudan are linked by accords and that they are in full agreement over water shares.

As for Coptic Christians killed recently in clashes in upper Egypt, Mubarak remarked that Christian propaganda abroad threw out of proportion what started as a financial dispute. "The dispute," he said, "was the result of a quarrel over an amount equal to 20 French francs matters aggravated and ignited clashes that left 20 people killed".

Mubarak vowed to unveil all circumstances surrounding the incident being investigated and that the culprits would be brought to justice. He asserted the coexistence between Egyptian Copts and Muslims all over the country. On Muslim militancy, Mubarak said that extremists are there throughout the world and they are not confined to Muslims.

According to him, the Islamic extremism is put in check by laws and every kind of tough measures. "Islam is innocent from the Muslim militants because like other heavenly religions, Islam calls for affinity, tolerance and dialogue," Mubarak said.

He reiterated that extremism is an international phenomenon related to the whole universe, and not confined to the Arab region. President Mubarak said that the number of tourist visiting the country is greater than any other time and that since last December, hotels in Luxor and Aswan have been fully booked.

Asked if the country's antiquities could be a victim of the tourism boom, Mubarak told Paris Match about measures to conserve the huge wealth of antiquities in Egypt.

"The problem is that the antiquities are concentrated in one area west of the Nile and some of them are located underground," he remarked.

"Limits are set for the number of visitors to ancient tombs, climbing the Giza pyramids is banned, and the Sphinx statue is placed under tight guard," stressed Mubarak.

He added that a permanent agency is assigned the task of protecting the Giza archaeological sites in cooperation with Egyptian, French, Italian and German experts.

Mubarak said that Egypt boasts around 84 per cent of the world's most ancient artifacts. He cited the world interest, including that of the French people, in the Egyptian antiquities.

On whether Egypt would seek the retrieval of the ancient Egyptian Paris-based obelisk, Mubarak said he feels proud whenever he goes to the French capital and looks at the structure from the window of his hotel, adding that the obelisk is the focus of great care where it is.

The interviewer told Mubarak he is one of the Arab leaders who are highly regarded by the French.

The Egyptian leader said that ruling Egypt is a tough mission. "To beat stress, I take up squash and jogging," said Mubarak, maintaining that sports is the only way to overcome stress.

Previous Stories:
  Peace Process, blocked on all tracks   (2/8/2000)
  Mubarak urges reaching comprehensive ME agreement   (1/31/2000)
  Mubarak discuss issues with writers, intellectuals   (1/28/2000)

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