Egypt won't be part in any military action
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 10/4/2001

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that Egypt will not be part in any military operation in the fight against terrorism, but it will share information in drawing a clean map of terrorism and terrorists so that they are tracked down and brought to justice.

"Egypt's latest diplomatic moves were to clarify the country's position, namely that global cooperation and UN participation were necessary to put an end to terrorist acts," Maher said.

"When President Hosni Mubarak toured Europe last week, he reaffirmed his idea for holding an international conference," Maher told the Egyptian television Tuesday night.

"Egypt sees that any reaction to the terror attacks on the US on September 11 must be balance, based on conclusive evidence and targetted to those who have been proven to have carried out the attacks while taking into consideration that civilians are not harmed," he said.

"He visited Washington last week to deliver a message from President Mubarak to US President George W. Bush and to explain Egypt's position," he added.

"Egypt stood by the US in the crisis, not only due to the friendship and close relationship between them, but also because it had suffered from terrorism and has sought international solidarity in the fight against terror," Maher said.

"Within this context, Egypt sometimes received support and at other times it did not, and did not find the backing it was seeking when it was facing terrorism," he added.

"Some countries even harboured terrorists and those convicted of committing acts of terror by granting them political asylum, and thus they have now become well aware of the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in the face of terrorism," he said.

"The result was that many who were granted political asylum participated in the orchestration of the terrorist operations against the US and other parts of the world," he added.

"It was only natural for this issue to be raised among those countries, it was them who raised it after having realized that they had erred in the past and that they had to take the measures and the precautions that would terminate the so-called "refugees" ability to carry out their activities," he said. Americans, he said in response to a question, have started to ask themselves "why us?"

"This is the beginning of wisdom, when people start to ask themselves why they are being attacked, may be because they were mistaken or did not express themselves right," he added.

"Now, after a time of anger, the American Administration is beginning to think which action or course to take, and have realized the truth behind President Mubarak's view that ignoring the hotbeds of terrorism and the Israeli behaviour would lead to more disappointment and despair, which provides part of the overall climate that allows terrorism to rise and spread," he said.

Regarding statements by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in which he said that the Western civilization was superior to the Islamic, he said they were surprising because they did not represent the views of a nation living on the other flank of the Mediterranean and whose people know the Arab and Islamic world.

"Every educated European also knows the significance of Islamic culture and civilization that was blossoming at a time Europe was living in the dankness of the Middle Ages, and when Arabs and Muslims, with their scientific achievements and additions, managed to illuminate the road to Europe," he said.

"Since the day Berlusconi made those remarks, he has been apologizing and regretting what he said, but sometimes, when mistakes are made, saying sorry is not enough, no matter how many times one apologizes," Maher added.

"Arab and Islamic relations with Italy are very important and Arabs and Muslims are keen on them," he said and expressed hope Italians are equally keen on them. He also expressed hope this latest problem is transcended, saying that such relations cannot be subjected to one person regardless of his position.

Previous Stories:
  Security Council freezes sources financing terrorism   (10/1/2001)
  Egypt, partner in terrorism combat without striking another country   (9/29/2001)
  Terrorism tackled in OIC meetings   (9/29/2001)

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