Israel should withdraw from Palestinian territories and siege should be lifted
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 6/24/2001

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has underlined the need for moving urgently to resume the peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis and carrying out recommendations by Mitchell Committee.

The President said in the message conveyed by Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher to US administration officials that ceasefire between Palestinians and Israelis would not last for long unless it was an indivisible part of an urgent political solution.

The Foreign Minister said President Mubarak explained the Egyptian stance to US President George W. Bush through telephone calls and messages.

He said President Mubarak stressed that the ceasefire will not last if Israel did not withdraw its troops from Palestinian territories and halt demolition, siege and killing acts against Palestinians.

The President said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to move through deeds and not sayings in order to create a political climate that could lead to peace and calm.

Maher noted that what was needed now was an urgent move for saving the peace process as there was not enough time. He said he told the US administration that Sharon's interim period was unacceptable and would destabilize the situation in the region.

He said President Mubarak was looking forward to discussing positions in the region with Secretary of State Colin Powell who would launch a tour of the region next Wednesday.

He said the proposals discussed by the Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams in Taba could not be dropped as they have become part of the peace process even if the two sides did not reach a political solution on them.

A state department official quoted Powell as emphasizing the importance of supporting US-Egyptian relations.

The US official said there are many military programmes in the framework of cooperation between the two countries adding the US administration would discuss ways of boosting already existing relations.

The US Secretary of State said it was important to reach an agreement on a timetable for carrying out recommendations by Mitchell committee.

He said he would meet Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat during his tour of the region and would meet the Israeli Prime Minister during his meeting with President Bush at the White House next Tuesday.

Minister Maher described Egyptian-US ties as excellent and mature enough to hold dialogue on different issues and viewpoints.

Egypt and the US hold regular contacts and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak visits the US every year, said Maher. He hoped that President George W. Bush would visit Egypt when it becomes possible.

Replying questions following a seminar at Woodrow Wilson Center, the top Egyptian diplomat described as very good the talks he had with senior officials and prominent Congress members.

Asked about the latest ruling against Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a professor in the American University in Cairo (AUC), Maher said that Ibrahim was convicted according to the Egyptian law.

"There are US laws which came under fire such as the secret evidence law which is widely believed to be targeting Arabs and Moslems in the US," Maher said.

He noted that dissatisfaction with a certain law should not justify launching campaigns.

The appeal to Mubarak to release Ibrahim contradicts call for democracy based on the independence of the judiciary in Egypt, said Maher. There are misleading information being publicized in the US, said Maher, adding that Ibrahim has the right to appeal before the court.

Asked about the situation in the Middle East, Maher voiced belief that Palestinian-Israeli negotiations should be resumed from the point it had stopped at and not from square one.

He called on Israel to lift siege on the Palestinian and ease restrictions on the Palestinians' movements well as the need to shift from the security domain to the political one for the ceasefire to hold on.

On the Sudanese issue, Maher said that officials confirmed that the US administrations will not take any measures that would undermine Sudan's integration of territories.

"Peace, stability and security of Sudan are of great importance to Egypt," he added.

"Representatives of the various Sudanese powers, who met in Cairo during the past few days, called for the activation of the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on solving the Sudanese issue," Maher said.

Asked about Egyptian-Iranian relations, the top Egyptian diplomat said that Egypt leaves the door open for improving ties with Iran but it depends on Tehran. He voiced belief that Iran currently undergoes a period of transition despite the all-out support to President Mohammad Khatami.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak confers with Arafat   (6/21/2001)
  Sorour to review Mubarak's efforts for reaching a ceasefire in Palestinian territories   (6/16/2001)
  Sharon fails to deliver security for Israelis   (6/16/2001)

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