Mubarak, Bush summit talks
Egypt-USA, Politics, 4/3/2001

Summit talks started between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his American counterpart George W. Bush at the White House on Monday. The two leaders, in their first meeting ever after Bush's inauguration at the oval office, focused on making peace in the Middle East.

President Mubarak on his part said he was keen to work with Bush on all issues pertaining to the Mid-East region.

"We are working very seriously and we are determined to continue cooperation with the same spirit and seriousness towards having peace and stability in the Middle East," President Mubarak said. "this will be in the interest of the us, Egypt, Jordan, and all other countries in the region."

Bush, however, said the US and other strong countries such as Egypt will first encourage putting an end to violence and resuming talks.

"I am upbeat and I hope that we will be able to reach that," Bush added.

The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting for about half an hour before Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice joined them.

After the encounter, Bush, in a word to reporters, said his talks with Mubarak focused on bringing peace to the Middle East under a US role to "facilitate" the peace process, but not to "impose" it.

But bush told the reporters that Washington would use its weight and position as much as possible to forge ahead with the peace process and that laying a solid foundation for peace in the region was part of the expected US efforts.

Bush noted that he had the honor to meet with Mubarak two years ago and he had a good impression that did not change after their first candid talks on Monday.

The US president said he carried out a telephone conversation in the morning with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and that he had initiated other telephone conversations with leaders in the middle east.

Such contacts will continue, he said.

Bush stressed the importance of establishing "strong" relations with the states in the region, notably those who are committed to peace such as Egypt and Jordan.

"we will continue to have much interest in the Middle East and we hope there will be positive results," he said, adding the us will not set a dateline for peace because a lasting peace will be that which brings all parties to the table of negotiations.

President Mubarak`s motorcade arrived at the white house where president Bush was waiting at the entrance of the house to receive the Egyptian leader, the first Arab leader to meet bush after his inauguration as president in january.

President Mubarak was accompanied by his political adviser Osama el-Baz, information minister Safwat Sharif, foreign minister Amr Moussa, economy and foreign trade minister Youssef Boutros Ghali, finance minister Medhat Hassanean, communications and it minister Ahmad Nazif, president`s cabinet chief Zakarya Azmi and Egyptian ambassador in Washington Nabil Fahmy.

Previous Stories:
  United States should assume its responsibility towards peace process   (4/2/2001)
  Mubarak's visit to Washington ushers in a new era of cooperation   (4/2/2001)
  Powell-Moussa meeting is very crucial   (3/31/2001)

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