Mubarak-Bush meeting, most important one in Egyptian-US contacts
Egypt-USA, Politics, 2/20/2002

Egyptian Political quarters are looking forward to President Mubarak's visit to Washington early next month and his talks with US administration officials as it comes amidst regional and international circumstances which are characterized by tension of chaos.

State department official Tuesday stressed the importance of President Hosni Mubarak's forthcoming visit to Washington early in March and his expected talks with US President George W. Bush and the American administration.

At a news conference he gave at the American embassy premises in Cairo Richard Haass, Director of Political Planning at the office of US Secretary of State Colin Powell, said that Bush's coming talks with Mubarak would be the most important the two leaders have ever had especially in light of the aggravating conditions between the Palestinians and Israelis and the need to bring the Middle East peace process out of its present debacle.

Answering a question by Middle East News Agency, Haass said that Mubarak-Bush talks would particularly focus on means to push the regional peace drive forward, guarantee the continuation of the international coalition against terror and efforts to boost bilateral ties.

The American official termed as more than excellent the Egyptian -American relations stressing the importance of continued consultations between President Mubarak and the US administration especially that Egypt is regarded by Washington as one of the most important countries in the region with a pivotal role in the regional peace march.

Speaking about the US regional peace efforts, Haass referred to Powell's two visits to the area, Mitchell recommendations and Tenet plans, US Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni's repeated trips and the never-ceasing contacts between regional officials and the US administration.

He cited President Bush's vision of co-existence between the two states, an Israeli and an Palestinian.

He said that the Palestinians endure a lot because of the current violence especially with the increase in unemployment rates and price hikes.

He noted that the Israeli economy has also been affected with the Israeli economic growth rates dropping by two per cent.

The Palestinians must show that they seriously wish to live in peace, he said describing the Palestinian Intifada as a strategic error".

Speaking a political solution is a must, he noted adding that violence would not lead to any settlement.

He said that ousting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is not US target and urged Arafat to change his present policies saying that the Palestinians are the one paying for those policies.

The American official denied reports on a US intention to launch a new offensive against Iraq.

He, nevertheless, stressed the importance of Iraq's abidance by all UN Security Council resolutions.

"Baghdad should allow the UN weapons inspection teams to return to Iraq and guarantee them freedom of movement," he said.

Iraq poses a greater threat to regional security than it does to the US security, he warned, describing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as a menace to Iraqi people's security and to the security of the entire area.

Despite differences between the US and Europe over the Palestinian-Israeli issue, neither of them is pleased with the current deterioration in the Middle East, Haass said.

He said that the US welcomes any overture that aims to bring the peace march out of its current quagmire.

He said replacement of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is not one of the goals of the US policy and called on him to change his current policy, he claimed that the Palestinian people pay dearly for this policy.

Asked on the reasons of the US interference for changing education curricula in the states of the region, he said his country is keen to support the states of the region in developing education.

He said for example, education in some countries like Pakistan is restricted to religious sciences and is far away from the use of technology and computers.

Previous Stories:
  Maher, Richard Hass discuss peace process   (2/19/2002)
  Tenet informs Mubarak of US determination to strike Iraq   (2/18/2002)
  Mubarak to visit Washington early next month   (2/16/2002)

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