US delegation hails Mubarak's efforts to achieve peace
Egypt-USA, Politics, 1/8/2002

Egyptian President Mubarak discussed at his meeting yesterday with a US Congress delegation ways of enhancing cooperation in combating terrorism and establishing peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

The president expressed his support for US efforts aiming at convincing Palestinians and Israelis of the need for taking tangible steps for building mutual confidence as a preliminary step towards resuming negotiations.

Emerging from the meeting, Senator Richard Durbin said the meeting with the President was positive, adding that the delegation expressed his thanks to the President for his efforts aiming at achieving peace in the middle east and promoting cooperation between Egypt and the United States in the field of combating terrorism.

Durbin said the delegation came with the impression that Egypt understood the incidents of September 11th, more than any other state as it suffered much from terrorism in the past.

He said all civilizations are cooperating together for combating terrorism.

Asked whether there is hope for building confidence between Palestinians and Israelis once more in spite of the current Israeli practices, member of the delegation David Prize said there was disappointment on both sides regarding prospects for bringing the peace process back to track in a bid to contain violence and to settle outstanding issues.

He said both sides should fulfill their obligations and do their utmost effort for halting acts of violence.

He expressed hope that the Israeli side would lift siege on some Palestinian cities and ease down some military restrictions so that citizens on both sides may feel hope.

Member of the delegation James Davis said violence and terrorism should be brought to a halt in order to avoid more victims.

He said negotiations could never be resumed in the light of sustained acts of violence.

Asked whether the delegation was carrying new ideas for resuscitating peace, the Congressman said the delegation is not an official one to submit new ideas but rather supports genuine efforts for achieving peace.

He said a part of the US delegations mission is to encourage the US administration to take part in the peace process.

Osama AL Baz, the Political Advisor to the President and David Welch, the US ambassador in Cairo, attended the meeting.

The visit of the US delegation comes at the beginning of a tour of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The US delegation also met Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher who said that the key issue discussed was Egyptian-US relations and the delegation wish to further them as well as their welcome of the US administration's decision to accelerate releasing the funds appropriated in the aid programme to help Egypt cushion the economic hardships resulting from the September 11 attacks.

The meeting also took up the Middle East issue and US efforts in light of Middle East peace envoy Anthony Zinni's mission to bring both the Israeli and Palestinian sides back to the negotiating table, said Maher.

Previous Stories:
  Maher to visit Washington late January   (1/2/2002)
  Egypt exchanges information with Washington on ways of confronting terrorism   (12/26/2001)
  Maher calls on the US to force Israel halting its inhuman practices against the Palestinians   (12/18/2001)

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