On Mubarak's visit to the US
Egypt-USA, Politics, 2/25/2002

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt will head for Washington on Saturday in a visit to the US that lasts for several days during which he will hold talks with the US President George Bush, the US vice President Dick Cheney, the secretary of the state Colin Powell, the defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the advisor for the president for national security Condoleeza Rice and several Congress leaderships.

In a statement issued in Cairo on Saturday, the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher said that the visit's agenda is open to discuss all matters debated at the political and economic levels. He explained that the basic issue debated at the political level is to discuss the situation pertinent to security and stability in the region, especially peace in the Palestinian territories and preventing of terrorism, guaranteeing international legitimacy as well as discussing economic security of the countries of the region as a whole.

Meantime, the American ambassador in Cairo David Welsh said that the visit falls in the context of very important timing because of the implications of incidents in the Middle East region. He described the American relations with Egypt as strong and remarkable.

For its part, the Egyptian daily Akhbar al- Youm said on Saturday that Mubarak's visit to the US comes to crown the continued consultations and intensive contacts between Presidents Mubarak and Bush in their telephone calls in which they discussed the deteriorated conditions in the region.

Also, the head of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs DMohamed Ibrahim Shaker said "Despite all initiatives launched on the arena at present, there is always the role played by President Mubarak and Egypt to find a way out of the crisis witnessed by the area." He added that President Mubarak's visit at this crucial stage could lead to decisive and effective developments in the area and to finding a way for implementing the Mitchell recommendations and starting peace negotiations.

He said that President Mubarak's visit at such an important timing will also provide an opportunity for getting not only the U.S. president and his administration but also the Congress and the Jewish community acquainted with the real and grave situation in the area and the latest developments of the peace process.

Commenting on the situation in the Palestinian lands, he said that the peacemaking has reached a deadlock and the situation there is getting worse.

He noted that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's tour of the area that will follow President Mubarak's visit to Washington could be considered as an opportunity and an additional American drive.

Previous Stories:
  On Mubarak's visit to the US   (2/22/2002)
  Maher says US presence in Sinai a sign of interest in the region   (2/20/2002)
  Mubarak-Bush meeting, most important one in Egyptian-US contacts   (2/20/2002)

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