Mubarak, al-Assad call for convening an Arab summit
Egypt-Syria, Politics, 10/3/2000

Presidents Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria on Monday resumed their talks in a closed door meeting in Cairo.

The two Presidents completed their discussions of topics raised on the first day of the summit.

Earlier in the day, the al-Assad received at his residence the Secretary general of the Arab League (AL) Ismat Abdul Miguid and discussed with him the Arab situation and the need to reactivate the AL establishments for serving Arab causes.

The Syrian President also received the Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa and discussions dealt with current Arab conditions and the mechanism of the common Arab action and bilateral relations. The foreign minister Farouk al-Shara attended both meeting.

President Bashar al-Assad returned home after paying an official visit to Egypt. Talks between the two presidents dealt with the Arab situation, events in al-Aqsa mosque and the occupied Palestinian territories and bilateral relations.

However, in a joint press conference they held on Monday in conclusion of the Syrian President's visit to Cairo, President Bashar al-Assad stressed that Syria is serious about peace and Israel is the only party which hinders peace moves.

"In peace, there are not balls in the courts. But if we have to suppose that there are balls in peace making, we should say that Syria's position on peace is clear, and that Israel has not decided yet whether it wants to make peace or not," al-Assad said. This press conference was held in conclusion of President Bashar's visit to Cairo which lasted for two days.

President Bashar al-Assad added that peacemaking in the Middle East is based on three sides: Syria and Lebanon, Israel and the main sponsor of the ME peace process- the USA. He added " for Syria and the Lebanon, the position on peace is clear, and we are serious in our call for a just and comprehensive peace. Our attitudes and rights are clear and recognized by all. For the US, we feel that givens indicate that President Bill Clinton and the US state department secretary Madeleine Albright have the real intention and willingness to help parties achieve peace, a just and comprehensive peace, in the Middle East."

"Israel is the only party whose policy and conduct show that it does not want peace. What is happening in Jerusalem and what could happen in the occupied Golan indicate that the Israelis are not serious about peace. There is a clear wavering and irresolution in the Israeli policy since 1991," al-Assad added.

On his expectation about the possible date for resuming the peace talks on the Syrian track, President al-Assad said: " As I said before that we are looking for results .. and when the Israelis acquire real intentions on peace, and when they indicate that they want just and comprehensive peace, we could back and resume negotiations; the timing is with the Israelis. For us, we are ready for peace at any time."

On the question about what has been said on a French endeavor to hold a meeting between him and Israel's prime minister Ehud Barak in Marseilles ( France ) next month, President al-Assad said that " we do not look for cosmetics and formalities.. but for substance. We have the decision to make peace, and any other things like the meeting you are talking about are only cosmetics that could be discussed after the achieving of an agreement on the substance and contents of the peace we want."

On the possibility of convening an Arab summit and whether he discussed this possibility with President Mubarak, President al-Assad said: " Yes, we discussed this issue today and agreed that holding an Arab summit meeting has become a necessity. This issue was discussed in the past and there was an idea that a summit could not be convened while there were big differences among Arab countries. But in such a case, I believe that we will not witness an Arab summit because differences will continue. The Arab summit is to find solutions for those differences.. we did not fix a date for the summit today, but a date will be fixed later."

Concerning Iraq, al-Assad indicated that "Iraq is an Arab country, therefore it is not permitted to inquire (by others) about the timing ( of my meeting with Iraq's deputy premier Tareq Aziz) and the use of this meeting. Inter-Arab contacts and meetings are necessary, regardless of any circumstances and despite of disagreements. I think that, after ten years of blockade, we firstly as Arabs and secondly the others, must review the issue and ask ourselves about the results and the aim of this blockade. Every action has an aim. The aim ( in the case of Iraq) was to punish Iraq for entering Kuwait. However, we see that after ten years the result has been an issue of punishment. It has been and will be sooner or later, the destruction of Iraq. I do not see that will be in the interest of the Arab nation. Certainly, our position vis a vis Iraq's entry into Kuwait did not change. At that time, we did not think of Kuwait as a winner, while we lose Iraq. It is not in the interest of the Arabs, first and foremost Kuwait, to lose Iraq, since it represents to Kuwait a geographic, national, demographic, cultural and scientific depth. Consequently I think that ending the suffering of the Iraqi people has become firstly the task of the Arab countries and secondly of other nations."

Concerning the situation in Syria, President al-Assad said: " the word 'openness' is a limitless term. This openness as I understood is different from others' understanding of the term. Therefore I prefer to day these are steps towards economic development. These steps are not new, rather they have been started before upon the directives of late President Hafez al-Assad. We work on continuing these steps. The people's assembly ( parliament) will start its next term on Tuesday to discuss and study many bills relating to this issue."

On the question about the situation in Syria, President al-Assad said: " talking about stability in Syria means as if that Syria lacked stability and suffered from disorder. Both issues are not true."

On the situation in Lebanon, he made it clear that " Syria as a state and government deals with Lebanon as a state and government. But we are not concerned with dealing with any other circle or party. This is because states deal with states and nothing else."

Replying to a question President Mubarak said: " Jerusalem, as known, is an occupied land since 1967.. All foreign TV stations, not only Arabs but also foreign witnessed the massacres yesterday, which were very terrible. I saw a man hiding behind a rock holding tight his son, pointing to the soldiers not to shoot him, but they suddenly shot his baby and killed him. The man fainted. It is very affecting and very terrible incident.. Imagine that you hold your son and as he is between your arms he is killed by a bullet."

He added " if they do not take care of the issue of Jerusalem and just solution which leads to permanent peace, the problem won 't cease at all." He continued that the current events proved that Israel cannot be entrusted to take care of the Islamic sites or to facilitate worshipping for Muslims.

On the ability of Barak's government to make peace, President Mubarak said: " I can say if they have the intention of peace, they are able, but if they do not have the intention for peace, we can say that are unable.. we have to reach peace. And there will be no peace except when peace is just. Syria must take back its territory as a whole."

He explained: " there is no need to compromise on such things. On the Palestinian track they are negotiating, but they want to distance themselves from the issue of Jerusalem."

As for bilateral relations with Syria, the Egyptian President said the Syrian- Egyptian joint committee will meet shortly.

Concerning lebanon President Mubarak said: " Syria brings about balance to Lebanon. By its presence in Lebanon Syria realizes balance. The Syrian presence in Lebanon came as a result of the Lebanese government's agreement."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad, Mubarak's summit in Cairo   (10/2/2000)
  Egypt - Syria coordination basis to serve Arab causes   (9/30/2000)
  On al-Assad's visit to Egypt   (9/28/2000)

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