Egypt says chances for peace 50-50
Egypt, Politics, 9/19/2000

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said Egypt is making contacts with all parties concerned in a bid to ride out obstacles impeding a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement.

In statements to reporters on Monday, Moussa said the contacts involve the US, the European Union, Russia, Japan in addition to sustained consultations with the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Moussa asserted continued Arab coordination on the peace process, pointing out to contacts he made on the fringe of the UN Millennium Summit and the UN General Assembly meetings. These contacts will continue in the coming few weeks, he added.

Moussa said he felt, during his consultations with the American officials, a genuine American interest in the negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, and that the coming period should be invested to realize real progress.

The situation remains in the balance with a 50-50 chance of success or failure, he said, adding that the brevity of time remaining was not in favor of the success of a Palestinian Israeli agreement. But intensive efforts should be exerted till the end of coming October, he added.

Moussa pointed out that no agreement had yet been reached on any of the final-status issues, a fact, he added, that entailed focusing work in the remaining short time.

Moussa believed it possible to make a breakthrough once a strong political will was available during the coming few weeks.

Moussa stressed the important role the US was playing in this regard.

Moussa denied that Egypt had proposed giving the Israeli side sovereignty over the Wailing Wall and the Jewish Quarter.

On other ideas pertaining to international sovereignty over holy places in Jerusalem, Moussa explained that the proposals revolved round holy sites only.

As for East Jerusalem, Moussa said, the Palestinians should have full sovereignty over it.

Moussa made it clear that all territories occupied in 67, including Jerusalem, were subject to the provisions of UN resolution 242, that prohibited the seizure of others' lands by war.

Moussa underlined the exigency that any agreements on the status of Jerusalem should be final.

On the recent statements made by acting Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, in which he said that the Jews of the world had gone back to their original homeland and that Jerusalem was their old capital, Moussa dismissed the statements as lacking either historical or legal evidence.

Moussa, however, believed that Jewish religious considerations should be respected.

Asked if he believed the peace process was going through a dark tunnel, Moussa rather saw it passing through a "dim" tunnel.

Moussa said Israel's proposals on Jerusalem failed to gain the approval of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, because they were not in line with international legitimacy resolution 242.

But the door is, and should, remain open in the coming period in order for something acceptable to be reached, he added.

The Foreign Minister said Egyptian-Iranian relations are making headway.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Moussa said he met with Iranian President Mohamad Khatami, and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly proceedings in New York.

" Egypt endorsed Iran's Presidency of the G-77 " , Moussa said, adding that the two countries were coordinating stances within the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa has reiterated Egypt's backing of Sudan's drive to become a member of the UN Security Council.

In press statements Monday, Moussa referred to Afro-Arab consensus in favor of Khartoum's efforts in this respect, adding that Egypt would vote for Sudan, out of respect for bilateral relations and for the Afro-Arab decision.

Asked about Washington's frowning on nominating Sudan for SC membership, Moussa opined that every state had the right to take whatever stance in line with their interests.

Meanwhile, Moussa said Egyptian-US contacts are underway regarding investigations into the crash of the EgyptAir passenger plane off the US east coast last October.

On whether the issue was raised during his recent visit to the US, Moussa said the investigations were being held on a different level, adding that recent press reports have shed a new light on what had happened and made previous accusations groundless.

Revelations included in a recent edition of the New York Review of Books are giving credence to the theory that electromagnetic radar interference had jammed the autopilot of EgyptAir Flight 990 and quite probably caused the plane to crash. The publication also exonerates copilot Gameel El-Batouti of previous accusations that he willfully brought the plane down in an act of suicide.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa: Egypt wants end of Iraq sanctions, Mid East efforts disccused   (9/16/2000)
  Arresting 25 of the prominent Muslim Brothers in Egypt   (9/15/2000)
  Jerusalem is an occupied land   (9/14/2000)

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