Egypt maintains intensive contacts with Arab states
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 7/30/2001

"Egypt maintains intensive contacts with the various Arab and Islamic countries to confront the Israeli provocations, the latest escalation being the laying of a cornerstone for the so-called new temple," Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said.

Within the past hours, Egypt has contacted Arab and Islamic countries, in addition to the clear message that Egypt sent to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council through their ambassadors in Cairo to remind them of their responsibility towards the grave Israeli provocations, Ahmed Maher told the press.

The present situation has reached a grave degree, he warned.

"Egypt has repeatedly brought to Israel's attention the gravity of its practices, but Israeli officials did not respond to these warnings," he said.

"It, thus, became necessary for Egypt to inform the five-UNSC members of the gravity of the situation," he added.

"Arab countries agree, without any coordination or previous contacts, on denouncing the Israeli act and the need to stop it," Maher said.

"Morocco, within its capacity as the Chairman of the Quds committee, has taken a step similar to Egypt's, and the two countries are in constant contact with each other and with other Arab states," he added.

Asked to comment on reports that Washington was formulating a plan to implement the Mitchell recommendations, he said there are in fact initial American plans to start the implementation of the Mitchell recommendations, now that Israel's behavior has depleted everyone's patience.

He repeated President Hosni Mubarak's call for the immediate dispatch of international observers, regardless Nationality, to the region to assume their duties.

On the Israeli refusal to receive observers despite the wide international agreement on the move, Maher said Israel could not face the whole world in spite of its continued procrastination.

"Israel could not stand alone for long against the international consensus on this issue," Maher added.

On the nature of the observers' work and the areas to which they will be sent, Maher said that such points would be determined through international agreement on the cease-fire.

Sharon's claim that the US was pressuring Israel to accept the observers as a "gift" to the Arabs to make them turn a blind eye to an American air strike on Iraq.

"We don't accept presents from anyone. But we ask for our rights and stick with them" Maher said, adding that there was no relationship between the two issues.

Maher said he will not allow such a deal, and that such thinking was baseless.

Previous Stories:
  COMESA-SADC to meet to coordinate stances before Doha conference   (7/28/2001)
  No war in the region as Israelis allege   (7/25/2001)
  Maher belies reports on follow-up committee   (7/24/2001)

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