Mubarak: Saudi initiative means full Israeli withdrawal
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 3/2/2002

"The Arab League in 1996 was convening in Cairo and we concluded a resolution unanimously agreeing upon peace as the strategy of all Arab countries," President Hosni Mubarak said in an interview with the Washington Times, published on Thursday.

Mubarak said to the Washington Times: "Not a single country was excluded. All of them agreed to that" Mubarak, who arrives in Washington this weekend to discuss regional issues with President Bush, said Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah was merely restating that agreement when he proposed full normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal to its pre-1967 borders.

"The Saudi proposal could only be an all-or- nothing deal," the President added. "Are the Israelis ready to withdraw from the occupied territories?", Mubarak asked.

"They ( the Israelis) have started to say, "Let's talk to Crown Prince Abdullah. We want to discuss and make negotiations, meet halfway?" This will not work."

Mubarak said he doubts that Israel is prepared to a complete withdrawal, which would mean giving up East Jerusalem and all its holy sites.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt at UNSC: No peace without application of UNSC resolutions   (2/28/2002)
  Sharon's Policies cause of continued bloodshed   (2/26/2002)
  Telephone conversations between Mubarak, Annan   (2/26/2002)

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