White House underlines significance of Mubarak-Bush talks
Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/26/2001

Bruce Riddle, the Deputy US National Security Advisor said President Bush is looking forward to President Mubarak's visit to Washington on April 2 in order to further deepen relations between Egypt and the United States, to develop his personal relationship with President Mubarak, to discuss ways of shoring up the peace process and to secure a better future for bilateral relations.

He said Egyptian- US relations are excellent, adding that President Bush was eager to reactivate those relations.

Riddle said in a dialogue with AL-Aharam that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon did not ask President George Bush during his latest visit to the US to cut off aid to Egypt.

He emphasized that Egypt played a vital role in encouraging all parties of the region to go along the peace march.

He said President Bush has no plans to cut off this aid, indicating that the United States is committed to establish active and strong relations.

Asking for a comment on the testimony by Secretary of State Colin Powell before the House of Representatives in which he said Washington was committed to moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and to consider Jerusalem as a unified capital of Israel.

the US official said Powell made it clear that there was no change in the US stance .He added that when President Bush met Sharon and asked him about this issue he said the issue of Jerusalem is to be decided by the parties concerned.

Riddle said the United States believes that the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East serves US national interests and all people of the region, indicating that President Bush intends do his best to facilitate the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace to all peoples of the region.

He said the United States could play the role of facilitator and cannot impose peace in the Middle East and would do its best to support peace efforts.

Riddle said Bush made it clear that all parties in the Middle East were responsible for improving political climate in the region and moving ahead towards the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace.

He said our goal and the goal of our friends in the region including Egypt is to reach a just and comprehensive peace based on the Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.

He noted that the United States wants to ease down the sufferings of the Iraqi people and to provide an opportunity for this people to enjoy a better future.

He said President Bush has given directives for exploring means of mitigating the sufferings of the Iraqi people and to ensure that Iraq would pose no threat to its neighbors and to honor its commitment before the Security Council Resolutions.

Previous Stories:
  Knock-door mission to buttress Egypt-US ties   (3/24/2001)
  Middle East peace process high on Mubarak-Bush Agenda   (3/20/2001)
  Bush to meet with the Jordanian King after meeting with Mubarak   (3/7/2001)

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