Mideast peace process stalemate, Arab peoples frustration
Egypt, Politics, 2/14/2000

President Hosni Mubarak warned against frustration by the Arab peoples due to the stalemate in the Middle East peace process.

In exclusive statements to MENA Board Chairman and Editor in Chief Mahfouz el Ansari, President Mubarak called for removing all obstacles and immediately resuming the negotiations on the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

The President underlined that no one in the Arab World would be satisfied with relinquishing an inch of Arab land.

President Mubarak added that the international resolutions and the signed agreements should be honored and the principle of land for peace should be completely abided by.

Threats launched from a position of strength are futile, arrogant statements eliminate trust and petty maneuvers harm rather than benefit, the President said .

The President called for immediate action to stem the bloodshed in Lebanon and the shattering of its infrastructure and to resort to the negotiating table.

Israeli actions in Lebanon deepen the Arab hatred and killing and destruction can have serious repercussions, if not now, later, Mubarak expounded.

President Mubarak said he is exerting great efforts to restore trust, resume negotiations and continue the peace process on all tracks.

Israel should refrain from placing stumbling blocks, and should take a far-sighted look at the future, President Mubarak said.

Syria is ready for peace and has its heart set on it, it seeks a peace based on justice and international resolutions, President Mubarak said.

But Israel is setting preconditions on the false assumption that Damascus is in a weak position, which is totally untrue.

On the contrary, such an assumption only complicates matters, the President added.

With Israel herself setting the precedent, namely to reject preconditions before starting negotiations, why is it today dictating terms on Syria and Lebanon.

Anyone who thinks that the Lebanese will go to the negotiating table without the Syrians and without coordinating with them, is mistaken, the President added.

"I fear that some might believe that if an agreement is reached between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, it would be possible to impose something or terms on Palestinians. Such a view is far from reality and the real understanding of the matter because the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East conflict," President Mubarak added.

"Exercising pressure on Palestinians to give up their rights will lead to an explosion, and the peoples of the region and most countries of the world sympathize with the Palestinians," the President added.

Late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was the one who understood the reality the most and when he negotiated with the Palestinians, he handed the Palestinian Authority eight towns, President Mubarak added.

Promises made and not delivered as the case of the current Israeli Prime Minister ( Ehud Barak) constitute an aimless tactic, its purpose is difficult to understand and it contributes to the lack of confidence, the President said.

On the American role at this sensitive and difficult phase, President Mubarak said what is required is that all parties adopt a clear stance in the face of violence and devastation in Lebanon, non-abidance by what has been agreed upon and the suspension of negotiations on the peace tracks, President Mubarak said.

The US is the key sponsor of the peace process, and its President Bill Clinton is doing a great effort, but the Israeli government is not responding and what is needed is a European role to strengthen the ongoing efforts and to pressure Israel to respect what had been agreed upon, Mubarak added.

President Mubarak cited as an example the European-American stance when Austria allowed a right wing party in the government. They turned the whole world upside down, the President expounded.

Arab and international public opinion have now become partners in everything, news via television, radio and newspapers is seen and heard instantly in all parts of the world, people in cities and villages can see the effects of strikes, shelling and devastation, the President said. It is wrong to think that criminal acts can go by unnoticed, it would be a grave mistake, the President warned.

These acts place governments and officials in a position that would call on them to define their stances clearly and firmly.

"It is from here that I call on all, especially Israel, to treat the facts with flexible understanding and with commitment to international principles and resolutions and without arrogance," President Mubarak added.

Within this context, he cited two examples of this arrogance. The first, he said, when Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy threatened to burn Lebanon, and the second what Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Shimon Peres told the World economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, namely that Israel was a clean and rich island in an ocean of dirt and poverty.
"If the ocean Peres is speaking of is in this condition, why do they (Israelis) want to cooperate and deal with it," the President questioned.

Nations will not forget such remarks easily, he said, and expressed hope Israelis would understand the psychology of the peoples.

"We aspire for a just, comprehensive, and permanent peace in which countries of the region deal together without hatred or complications," the President said.

On the waves of extremism sweeping the world, President Mubarak said there was a misunderstanding in the west, namely that violence and extremism were related to Islam, this is untrue, the President said.

Islam, like all other religions, preaches peace, as violence is against all heavenly religions, President Mubarak expounded.

It is on this occasion, The President said, that he would like to renew the call he made ten years ago to hold an international conference to fight terrorism.

"If the world does not immediately invite for such a conference and actually convene it, the fear will be that this phenomenon could grow and spread," the President warned.

"In my opinion, the battle is an international one against terrorism and if countries do not give it the needed attention, the world will suffer from the waves of terrorism that could lead to chaos," the President clarified.

"We must all work together to stop the bloodshedding of innocent civilians, we must all work together for the human being for a comfortable and honorable life for every citizen and we must all work together for peace, for love and tolerance," President Mubarak added.

Speaking of the image of modern Egypt and his plans for the future, President Mubarak said that in this era, only the most advanced tools of technology are to be employed.

President Mubarak said he will open in march a new center for advanced technology that has already been built at the Mubarak Technology City .

It will attract Egyptian, American, German and French scientists to accelerate the process towards advanced technology and its various fields, the President said.

"We are determined not to lag behind this international trend and we will move forward with the tools of this age and its technologies," President Mubarak added.

The President also referred to the new technology and Modern Science University that will be opened with the help of Egyptian Nobel prize winner Dr. Ahmed Zewail.

On whether the execution of some of the country's mega projects had been postponed and other accelerated, President Mubarak said that in regard to the Toshka project, it was proceeding on schedule.

One of the key investors, Walid Bin Talal, has in fact started to prepare the area that will be cultivated and where the relevant agricultural projects will be set, the President added.

Regarding the North-West Suez project, it was decided it will become an industrial zone with its special rules, and work is proceeding as planned, President Mubarak said.

Only one point was reconsidered, namely the maldistribution of lands allocated for the project. In the third mega project, the East Tafriah or East Port Said, the canal connecting to the main canal has already been dug and only 300 meters remain under construction, He said.

All in all, work in the three main projects is proceeding at a serious rate, the President added.

Regarding the EgyptAir pilot who sought asylum in Britain and his claims that he possessed secret information on the causes of the October 31 EgyptAir crash off the coast of Massachusetts, President Mubarak said that this was untrue.

This pilot has six children of various ages and the question is why would a father desert a whole family, a wife and six children, and leave them without a source of income because he no longer reported to work, President Mubarak expounded. So far, the President said, he could not find an answer to this question.

Frankly, if the pilot had something to say or something to express, he could have very simply said it in Cairo, the President added.

Criticism and free speech are allowed here without any interference, the pilot could have said what he wanted, he could have complained and criticized and could have taken his case to court, President Mubarak said.

He could have resorted to the press, official or partisan or independent, the President added.

President Mubarak said he was keen not to interfere in the issues regarding the ill-fated plane crash that killed 217 passengers or the issue of the pilot because they are still under investigation and because Egypt respects the law and order.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak to Paris Match: ME peace tracks deadlocked, internal issues discussed   (2/10/2000)
  Mubarak asks Israel not to make pre-conditions to withdrawal from Lebanon   (2/10/2000)
  President of Italy to visit Egypt next week   (2/9/2000)

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