Powell, Baz meet Friday on ME situation
Egypt-USA, Politics, 8/18/2001

"The Egyptian political delegation and Secretary of State Colin Powell will on Friday tackle a number of bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern, foremost among such issues is the Palestinian-Israeli situation," the State Department said.

Presidential Political Advisor Osama El-Baz is visiting Washington this week to discuss with senior administration officials bilateral relations between Egypt and the United States as well as the current situation between the Israelis and Palestinians, State Department Deputy Speaker Philip Reeker said.

Reeker did not however, disclose the details of the meetings the team will hold in Washington.

The negotiating team also groups Egyptian Ambassador to the US Nabil Fahmi and the Presidential Secretary for Information Maged Abdul-Fattah. "As we've said before, we've long valued Egypt's critical role with the parties, and we welcome this opportunity to consult on the situation," Reeker said.

Baz conferred by phone with US Vice-President Dick Cheney on Middle East tensions. Cheney is outside Washington where Baz is leading high-level Egyptian delegation.

The Egyptian official had an important meeting with Chief of US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) George Tenet. He also met with leaders of the American-Jewish organizations.

His other meetings included talks with Marc Grossman, the US State Department Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, and Bruce Reidel, who is in charge of the Middle East at the State Department.

Al-Baz, meanwhile, criticized the idea of leaving the Palestinian and Israeli parties to count on themselves to end the current crisis, saying that this belief had failed.

Al-Baz told foreign correspondents yesterday that the US had not shown yet flexibility on the suggested dispatch of monitors to the Palestinian areas but the suggestion had found at least "an open mind".

He said that he had no idea as why the US was reluctant to contribute with a small monitoring force to be sent to the Palestinian lands.

He added that Egypt was in favour of a multinational force including European and Canadian observers but if the US insisted on American monitors, Washington had only to consent this.

He dismissed concerns that monitors would face any harm, noting that enough protective steps could be taken for them.

He urged the US to play a stronger role to push the Palestinians and Israelis get out of the current crisis.

Baz made the remarks as US President George W. Bush talked by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "They agreed on the need to avoid further escalation in the situation," according to the White House Spokesman.

On the other hand, Israel Thursday massed its tanks and armored vehicles around the Palestinian towns in the West Bank and Gaza amidst escalating threats by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Generals to reoccupy these towns if Israel was attacked by suicide bombers.

According to news, Sharon is getting ready to form a war government, in which the centrist party under Dan Merridor, who assumes the post of Minister of National Strategic Planning.

Previous Stories:
  The new US ambassador arrives in Cairo today   (8/17/2001)
  Egyptian FM confers with US official   (8/17/2001)
  Egyptian delegation under Baz meets Powell Friday   (8/16/2001)

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