Mubarak's interview with The People's newspaper
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 6/6/2001

Egyptian President Mubarak stressed the importance of seizing the opportunity of the current ceasefire between the Palestinians and Israelis to get the joint security committees to meet in preparation for the implementing the Mitchell Committee report recommendations.

Mubarak said that the US is seeking to arrange the meeting of these committees and put recommendations of the report into effect. Should this occur, the region will witness a progress in the peace process.

In his interview with Yong Tian, Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese People's newspaper, President Mubarak affirmed that this must be achieved as soon as possible in order to avoid further complication of the situation since the only alternative is continuing violence and terrorism.

I consider terrorism more dangerous than war. Warring parties already know their enemies and battlefield, while, in the case of terrorism, no body knows where from and when the next strike will come, Mubarak added.

He elaborated that all parties concemed should be aware this since the Palestinians will never waive their rights and they will continue indefinitely to claim them should this status quo persist, there will no stability in the region or in other parts of the world as terrorism may strike anywhere.

Accordingly, intensive efforts should be exerted to implement the Mitchell report recommendations because this will give the Palestinians hope, he remarked.

The President opined that the Mitchell Committee report comprises positive points such as freezing settlement building and implementing the agreements already signed between the Palestinians and Israelis.

On the role of the US President George W. Bush, Mubarak said that it is a principal role and the key to resolving this issue US is the only country that is able to talk with the Israelis and urge them to come up with a solution to this serious problem. It is the country that gives Israel everything, he noted.

In addition to this significant American role there are the European and Russian roles as well as the roles required from all peace-loving countries that must contribute to putting an end to this crisis. Besides, we shouldnot ignore the role of Chinese and its effective support to the Palestinian right. This is an undenible fact, elaborated Mubarak.

About who is responsible for eruption of violence in the region, Mubarak stressed that had Israel implemented the agreements it already signed with the Palestinian Authority, under Netanyahu and Barak, these problems would have come to an end.

However, should the security committees, meet as soon as possible and of the Mitchell report recommendations be put into effect, the situation will calm down, added Mubarak.

On his coming visit to China, President Mubarak said that he received an invitation from the Chinese President Yang Zimin and will visit China this year.

He stressed that the Chinese President is an old friend of him and that Egypt has excellent relations with China, adding that he had earlier paid several visits to China, first of which was in 1976 when he was vice president.

Answering a question on his efforts to avert violence in the region, Mubarak said that he has been giving a hand to the parties to sit together and start negotiating, given that the continuation of violence will destabilize the region and , directly and indirectly, damage foreign interests there.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak makes contacts on Middle East situation   (6/5/2001)
  Egypt calls for intensive efforts to reach Mideast settlement   (6/4/2001)
  Hectic contacts for peace by Egyptian foreign minister Maher   (6/4/2001)

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