Peres to Egypt TV: Mubarak's statements correct, error in translation
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 5/1/2001

Reacting to President Hosni Mubarak's criticism of the Israeli media and officials for accusing him of making a mistake by announcing that an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire is imminent, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said a misunderstanding and particularly in the translation was behind the latest confusion.

"President Mubarak's statements were definite and expressive," Peres told the Egyptian television correspondent in New York.

Peres said the President did not make a mistake, but the mistake was in the translation, and regrettably, what was published is that the President had made a mistake.

Peres denied having said the President made a mistake.

Asked why Peres made those statements to Israel army Radio after his departure from Cairo Sunday, he said he believed there was a "misunderstanding".

"President Mubarak made his statements in Arabic, and then there were two translations in the Hebrew press, one mentioned 'understanding' and the other spoke of an 'agreement'," he said.

"What the president said is that he met me and I informed him officially, on behalf of the Israeli government, that we will carry out unilateral measures in Palestinian lands without any preconditions and that Israel will increase the numbers of working permits from 5,000 to 15,000," Peres added.

"This was yesterday and the number today has reached 20,000," he further said.

"Israel will make the movement of Palestinians easier and will allow the merchants to return, they will increase in numbers from 1,000 to 5,000," he expounded.

"Israel will provide water to Hebron and will advise Palestinians to build a power station. We will purchase electricity from them and we will also purchase water from them," he added.

"What president Mubarak said was right and very specific," Peres said.

Peres said he told the President that in their talks with the Palestinians, there was an understanding on the cease-fire and after a few weeks or one-week negotiations must start, and this is what the President said and his statement was correct.

Peres repeated that translation caused some problems, some say one thing, others say something different, and this is why he is trying to correct this.

The Egyptian television asked Peres why the Israeli army dropped bombs on Palestinians, killing four of them, after having agreed on resuming negotiations after the ceasefire, Peres said he did not believe so. "Today was a calm day, maybe this was yesterday, really, I do not know," he added.

"But anyway, Israel did not sign any agreement and when there is a ceasefire, after a while, full negotiations will start, this is Israel's intention," he said.

"Israel is serious as I told president Mubarak, Israel wants to see a ceasefire and a start of negotiations in the nearest possible opportunity and I think that Egypt and its President constitute large support and this is why I visited Egypt," he added.

Peres was in Cairo Sunday to forward a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to President Mubarak.

Asked to comment on president Mubarak's announcement that the Palestinian and Israeli sides reached an initial agreement and that it was Peres who asked him to address the public opinion on both sides, Peres said "It is true. I asked Mubarak to say that in public. I wanted him to address Israeli mass media with some encouraging words. I personally thank him a lot for that."

"I want to say something to the Egyptians, our neighbours and partners. Israeli government wants to see peace in the Middle East region and wants also the Palestinians to live in good conditions and in an atmosphere of freedom and equality. We want also that to our people," Peres added.

Previous Stories:
  Israel's deeds run counter to words   (4/30/2001)
  Palestinians, Israelis agree on ceasefire, restart talks   (4/30/2001)
  Jews have no legitimate claim to Al-Buraq Wall   (4/28/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search