Mubarak, Chirac tackle anti-terror efforts
Egypt-France, Politics, 9/24/2001

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his French counterpart Jacques Chirac held in Paris a lenghy round of talks that mainly focused on the terrorist attacks in the US.The Mubarak-Chirac talks will also tackle the Middle East scene.

Mubarak arrived in Paris yesterday on the first leg of a European tour that is also taking him to Germany and Italy.

Mubarak is expected to express the Egyptian and Arab view on means of grappling with global terrorism.

Mubarak has condemned the suicide airliner attacks on New York and Washington and called for an international UN-sponsored conference to work out a biding anti-terror pact.

Egypt has urged U.S. caution, calling on Washington not to retaliate hastily for the attacks. Chirac last week breifed Mubarak with the results of his visit to the US, which was the first by a foreign leader since the September 11 suicide assaults.

"Presidents Mubarak and Chirac hope that the US response will be rational and will be the result of thorough study and investigation , providing irrefutable evidence to identify those who are responsible for this crime," said Egyptian Ambassador to Paris Ali Maher.

"When responsibility becomes clear and incriminating evidence is provided, the entire world would support punishment to be meted out against the criminal," he told Egyptian TV.

The Egyptian-French summit, due to be held later Monday in the Elysee between President Hosni Mubarak and President Jacques Chirac, acquired a special significance as it took place shortly after the intensive talks each of the two presidents held with several Arab and European leaders.

Egyptian Ambassador to France Ali Maher told Middle East News Agency that the summit provided an opportunity for the two presidents to exchange viewpoints on how to salvage the Middle East peace process as well as to define the best possible means to combat terrorism.

He underlined the importance of Mubarak-Chirac talks in view of the mounting worldwide concern after the recent attacks on New York and Washington, pointing out that Egyptian and French viewpoints were identical on the importance of tackling the phenomenon of terrorism in a way that could help in eradicating it, rather then elminating one or a number of terrorists.

The Ambassador said that during his talks with both President Chirac and Premier Lionel Jospin President Mubarak will underlined the need for targeting the roots of terrorism as well as for identifying the real factors which norished this phenomenon.

The Egyptian diplomat said that President Mubarak called upon French leaders to help find out a just and comprehensive solution to the Middle East issue whereby the Palestinian people can regain their legitimate rights.

Meanwhile, France has affirmed the importance of the Egyptian leader's visit and commended the role Egypt is playing under President Mubarak to solve the Middle East crisis.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that France will maintain contacts with Egypt in order to help appeasing the tense conditions through the prompt and full implementation of the Mitchell committee's recommendations.

President Mubarak arrived in Paris Sunday afternoon on a three-day working visit.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak arrives in Paris Sunday for talks Chirac   (9/20/2001)
  Mubarak, Chirac review situation in Middle East tensions   (8/30/2001)
  France holds contacts with Washington at Egypt's request   (8/9/2001)

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