Egypt - Russia talks
Egypt-Russia, Politics, 3/6/2000

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov described President Hosni Mubarak as a wise leader with a strategic vision and a key role in international relations.

In his opening statement at a dinner banquet in Cairo Saturday in Ivanov's honor, Foreign Minister Amr Moussa affirmed the strong Egyptian-Russian relationship and the importance of coordination and cooperation between the two countries.

Ivanov announced that he and Moussa had agreed to meet at least once a year. Moussa, on his part, said Russia's position towards the Mid East peace process remained firm.

Russia's role as a co-sponsor of the peace process has not changed and its support to Arab rights continues, he added.

The "strategic sense" that President Mubarak commands is extremely important in international dealings, Ivanov said. There are statesmen who think and deal with issues of the hour and the minute, but at the same time they lack vision and strategic rationalism, and this is a very grave issue, He added.

"I am not underestimating the importance of the issues of the hour and foreign affairs, they are very important, but I want to stress the need and importance of the strategic vision," Ivanov said.

Egypt and Russia will play an important role in the building a better future in the new world, that is now in the making, he added. "We both work for a world that is more just, we both work on reaching solutions that restore the rights to their owners, and there are no problems that separate us," he said.

"I have agreed with my friend Amr Moussa to meet at least once a year, as the world will face difficult developments," he added.

Moussa on his part, said his talks with Ivanov were frank and open, as they had been with acting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month.

"A large part of the stories and information in the political climate and media coverage on Chechnya and Russia are not 100 percent accurate," Ivanov said. Given Egypt's interest in everything that is happening in Chechnya and to the Chechen people, Moussa said he raised the issues very frankly in his talks with Putin and Ivano.

"The coming phase will witness wider bilateral cooperation on the trade and economic levels, and greater coordination in the political and strategic domains," he added.

Moussa hosted a dinner last night in honor of Ivanov and his accompanying delegation at the Diplomatic Club, downtown Cairo.

Previous Stories:
  Russian foreign minister arrives today at Cairo   (3/4/2000)
  Students demonstrate at Alexandria University to condemn aggressions on Lebanon and Chechnya   (2/29/2000)
  Egyptian -Russian relations, strong   (2/3/2000)

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