Mubarak discusses with CIA director ways of shoring up ceasefire
Egypt-USA, Politics, 6/11/2001

Egyptian President Mubarak Saturday received at the presidential Palace George Tenet, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency CIA and his accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended by US ambassador in Cairo Daniel Kurtzer.

The Associated Press reported that during Mubarak-Tenet meeting lasted for half an hour adding that Tenet posted the president on the US efforts for shoring up ceasefire between Palestinians and Israelis as well as ways of paving the way for the resumption of peace negotiations between the two parties.

President Mubarak Saturday received a telephone call from Secretary of State Colin Powell during which the president was briefed on ways of easing down tension.

They also exchanged views on the underway contacts among the various parties.

Powell also made urgent contacts with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, EU Political and Security Affairs Commissioner Javier Solana and the Swedish Foreign Minister whose country is the current chairman of European Union.

Tenet had held talks with Israeli and Palestinian security officials in Ramallah, the West Bank on Friday.

He handed over a timetable for implementing obligations of both parties during Sharm E1 Sheikh summit and Mitchell committee recommendations.

The AFP said in a report from Jerusalem that the Israeli television broadcast the guidelines of the US document on which Palestinians and Israelis should express their remarks today during the new security meeting in Ramallah the West Bank.

This document, better known as "Tenet document" which was conveyed by the CIA director George Tenet to Israeli and Palestinian officials, provides for immediate apprehension of Islamic Jihad and Hamas activists,collecting and confiscating mortars from Palestinian self rule areas, halting instigating violence and attacks against Jewish settlement in the West Bank and Gaza.

As for Israelis, the document provides for halting attacks against Palestinian self rule areas, withdrawal of Israeli troops to pre-Intifada lines and limiting measures harmful to persons and properties in the palestinian territories.

Goran Persson, the Swedish Prime Minister, the current chairman of European Union and Javier Solana, the higher commissioner of EU foreign policy.

President Mubarak will discuss with European officials the developments of the situation in the Palestinian territories, Egyptian European efforts for easing down the situation and recommendations of Mitchell committee.

Palestinian News Agency said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat telephoned President Mubarak on Palestinian territories Arab efforts for halting Israeli aggression against Palestinian people and resumption of the peace process.

President Mubarak had a second telephone conversation with President Arafat.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday received Ambassador Ahmed Abul Gheit the Egyptian Chief Delegate to the United Nations.

During the meeting, Annan told Abu Gheit that he would like to listen to President Mubarak's visualization for overcoming the current crisis and working together for resuming final solution negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

Annan is due in Cairo on Wednesday on the first leg of a tour that would take him to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel with the aim of consulting leaders of the region.

Annan had sent a message to Foreign minister Ahmed Maher in which he stressed the need for moving urgently for building confidence among the parties in the Middle East.

The UN Secretary General expressed deep concern over the final solution negotiations on fragile situation in spite of the ceasefire agreement.

A1 Ahram reporter in Washington said Annan's message to the Foreign Minister covers the results of consultations held by US and European readerships on ways of shoring up ceasefire during specific time limit.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak and CIA Director discuss stability in ME   (6/7/2001)
  US envoys sees Mitchell's report as indivisible package   (5/31/2001)
  Egyptian-American talks on probing Palestinian- Israeli situation   (5/30/2001)

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