Peace cannot return to square one with every new Israeli government
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 2/12/2001

Egypt's Prime Minister Amr Moussa said the return of Palestinian Israeli peace negotiations to square one would be rejected by the Arab states.

"We cannot start from square one with every government change in Israel," he told a press conference Sunday at the conclusion of the Arab follow-up committee meetings and after the release of the final statement.

"We do not want to toil with the peace process that was launched ten years ago, it could have not started at zero point and ended at the same point," he said.

"Arab countries are willing to recognize the new policy of Israeli Prime Minister elect Ariel Sharon, he added.

"Sharon bears a great responsibility on his shoulders and must admit whether his statements constitute his policy or whether the responsibility he shoulders will dictate certain actions on a new basis" he said.

"This is what we want to know in the nearest possible future," he added.

Asked on prospects for the formation of a unified Arab mechanism to deal with Sharon, Moussa said the establishment of a mechanism for this purpose is out of question, but should it happen, it would be an absurdity.

There is one unified Arab mechanism and that is to follow up the developments of the Middle East peace process and the conditions in the occupied Arab lands.

"It examines all matters, among them are the developments in Israel," he said, adding sarcastically: "we cannot give all our time to follow up what this or that person says."

Asked on whether there was a link between the Arab follow-up committee resolutions and the upcoming visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region, Moussa said "we did not meet to examine the visit of the American secretary to the region, but we took into consideration that he will visit the region and we will examine with him Arab -American relations and the peace process.

Regarding Iraq, Moussa said Arab reconciliation advancement of Arab relations and the clearing of the atmosphere "is our aim".

The committee has examined all of this, including Iraq, as no Arab can accept the deteriorating situation in Iraq, he added.

On the latest remarks by Egyptian Defence Minister Hussein Tantawi and whether they were related to Sharon, Moussa said they were not addressed to any person, but they are concerned with the Arab position that defends its lands and that insists on defending the Egyptian lands in the face of any threats.

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Maguid, on his part, said that the issue of financial assistance to Palestinians took up a major share of the follow-up committee discussions.

"Steps are under way to expedite the dispatch of urgent aid to Palestinians," he said, expressing hope it would reach them as soon as possible and within the next few days.

Concerning Iraq, he said he maintained a dialogue with Iraq officials, and exchanged messages with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

He spoke of the Arab desire to support the Palestinians and to lift the embargo imposed on Iraq.

Arab foreign ministers members of the Arab follow-up committee met King Abdullah II earlier in the day and informed him of the results of their meetings.

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