Peace process tops Davos Summit Agenda
Egypt, Politics, 1/29/2001

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa Sunday said the current situation in the Middle East region and the peace process were among the most important issues discussed on the sidelines of Davos forum.

Moussa added that a large number of European leaders and ministers are eager to know Egypt's expectations as regards the future of the Middle East peacemaking drive.

In an interview with TV program" Good morning Egypt", Moussa stressed that Egypt's role in the peace process is closer to everyone.

President Hosni Mubarak agreed to invite the Palestinian and Israeli negotiators to meet in Taba after he had talks with Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and the Israeli side ,and found that the Israelis have something to say, he added.

More than once Egypt told Israel that there are red lines that should be heeded or else "you go to talk to someone else, Moussa said.

It is not fair to ask the Palestinians to give up the right of the refugees to return home, Moussa said, stressing that dropping this right is completely unacceptable.

Moussa stressed the importance of the Davos meeting for grouping large numbers of business and political leaders, bankers and journalists to examine the conditions in the world of today and the future.

"We must not distance ourselves from the tracks of the worlds contemporary thought, this does not mean we must adopt them, but we have many opportunities to examine particular issues with them and decide on matters such as UN reform, the security council, its membership, etc," he said.

Many issues have been examined at davos, such as the conflict of civilizations and globalization, its problems and shortcomings, he added.

On the Middle East and north Africa economic summit that Egypt was scheduled to host next year, Moussa said this issue has been totally dropped out of consideration at least for the time being.

We are now talking about a regional economic meeting, and we have taken key steps to link the electrical grids of four Arab countries," he added.

Moussa said such steps open wide horizons for economic cooperation, joint economic projects and investments.

On the sidelines of Davos Forum Amr Moussa met Israeli minister of regional cooperation Shimon Peres.

Moussa and Peres discussed the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations at Taba and the future of peace in light of the Israeli elections set for February 6.

After Peres, Moussa examined with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Middle East peace developments and conditions in Iraq as the UN-Iraq consultations, set for next month, approach.

Moussa expressed hope that these consultations make actual progress towards easing the sufferings of the Iraqi people.

Previous Stories:
  Abu al-Ragheb visits Egypt   (1/26/2001)
  Egypt seeks to boost ties with the US   (1/25/2001)
  Sharon's election casts doubt over Israeli peace desire   (1/25/2001)

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