Mubarak ends successful visit to Washington
Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/31/2000

President Hosni Mubarak yesterday headed home after a successful week-long visit to the United States, during which he held a summit with US President Bill Clinton in addition to talks with senior US-administration officials.

Egyptian-US economic links, Egypt's efforts to transfer US high technology, and the Middle East peace process developments topped the agenda of Mubarak's talks during the trip, which was marked by unwavering support from the Egyptian and Arab community there, a statement said.

During his talks with Clinton, the Egyptian leader stressed support for the Syrian stance in the peace talks with Israel, Mubarak told accompanying Editors-in-Chief of Egyptian papers.

"I've stressed to US President Clinton that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad cannot yield an inch of the land of the occupied Golan Heights," Mubarak said, adding that Clinton informed him of the outcome of the Syrian-US summit held m Geneva last Sunday Mubarak said he would meet with both Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak after he returns to Cairo.

"I consult regularly Assad and our next meeting either m Cairo and Damascus with be part of these regular consultations," said Mubarak, who held talks earlier in the day with the US Defense Secretary William Cohen.

"Egypt is keen to develop its military capability so it is able to defend itself against any aggression. The Pentagon meets the Egyptian demands in this domain, and therefore there are no problems at all," he said.

Moreover, he added: "There are some issues that have not yet been agreed, but negotiations on these issues are conducted in an atmosphere of full understanding." Mubarak said his talks with the US defense officials also tackled his initiative to free the Middle East from weapons of mass destruction. "I told them that dismantling these weapons [of mass destruction will spare the US and other countries the effort of looking for defense systems against them," he said.

The President cautioned against carrying out Israel's decision to unilaterally withdraw from south Lebanon without concluding a peace accord with Syria and Lebanon. "Many people whom I met here fear that this decision will have dangerous repercussions," he told the Egyptian Editors-in-Chief.

Moreover, the President said Cairo was keen to pursue efforts to bring a final peaceful settlement in the region. "This settlement needs negotiations and this is the goal we are working for with the US," he said.

"The countries and nations of the region are looking for peace and stability," he said, adding that Egypt was also working to accelerate Palestinian-Israeli talks. Mubarak said his talks with Clinton also focused on the situation in Iraq, Sudan and Iran.

"I've told Clinton that we are against the division of Sudan and elaborated with him on the dangers that would be posed by such a division. I can now say that the US is convinced by this stance and there is no objection on our initiative," he added in clear reference to the Egyptian-Libyan initiative to end 17 years of civil war in Sudan.

"Concerning Iraq," Mubarak continued, "I have frankly explained the suffering of the Iraqi people under the UN sanctions. The continuation of these sanctions threatens to create new generations full of hatred, frustration and envy.

Mubarak also described Iran as "a big country which cannot be ignored, and which the US should certainly not ignore." Earlier in the day during talks in the Pentagon, Mubarak had discussed the US partnership-for-defense initiative and American proposals to establish early-warning systems in the Middle East.

In an interview with the American Public Broadcasting Service's Charlie Rose last night, Mubarak paid tribute to the peace Egypt made in 1979 which had helped the country reform its deteriorating economy and infrastructure.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak - Clinton meeting with Arab Community   (3/30/2000)
  Egyptian-US summit tackles ME peace, partnership   (3/28/2000)
  Mubarak - Clinton talks cover important issues   (3/23/2000)

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