Mubarak's visit to US is highly important
Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/4/2002

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's visit to Washington, starting Saturday, is very important and very well timed, Egyptian Ambassador to the US Nabil Fahmy said.

He said that the Americans who have been much shaken by the September 11 terrorist attacks have started an extensive and thorough reevaluation of their relations with the outside world particularly the Middle East. Hence, comes the importance of this visit.

Egypt should be in the picture while the Americans are reshaping their foreign policies, he said, Egypt's having a say in the new American policies, particularly now in light of the current troubled-conditions in the Middle East and the present deterioration in the Middle East peace process, he added.

The points of agreement between Cairo and Washington are much more than the points of difference, Fahmy said pointing out that both countries agree on the essential points of almost all issues of mutual interest. Their disagreement is on marginal, though not less important matters, he noted.

It was important for Presidents Mubarak and George W Bush to meet following the September ll incidents, the Egyptian ambassador said. The two sides understand the importance of such an encounter, he added.

President Mubarak's in-depth knowledge of Middle East affairs would greatly help the US administration in the re-appraisal of its policies, Fahmi added.

The latest events will impose themselves on the President's agenda in Washington and on his talks with Bush and his administration, with the Congressmen, the American men-of-thought and the TV and press, he said.

He added that the President would have free, frank and comprehensive discussions with the Americans on his outlook of the conditions in the Middle East and in the World.

This is a new approach that will mark President Mubarak's visit, it may have been the result of September 11 developments and their side effects on shaping public opinion in the US towards the Middle East, Ambassador Fahmi said.

Some have tried to capitalize on the situation, and here comes the Bush administration's interest in getting to know the facts of the Middle East at a time it is re-evaluating and reshaping foreign policy, he added.

Already, signs have surfaced, some have appeared to be in the interest of the Arabs, others run counter to their interests, he said.

Lobbyists have tried to exploit the situation to their benefit by influencing the re-evaluating process of American foreign policy, he added.

President Mubarak is interested in meeting Congressmen, the media and public opinion representatives, to get closely in touch with the phases of decision-making that start at research institutions and then to the the administration, Congress, media and public opinion, he said.

It is thus necessary for Egypt to contribute to the reevaluation process so that it moves in the right direction, he added.

In the past months, Egyptian and American top officials, parliamentarians and journalists have exchanged visits and the President's visit comes today to address all these parties and to get to the very core of the American society, he said.

The current state is very critical, it requires very special treatment and different approach and at the same time affirms and safeguards the solid Egyptian stances, he added.

President Mubarak's agenda includes talks with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsifeld, Congressional Committee leaders and Foreign Relations Committee members with whom he will hold talks over a working luncheon in addition to a meeting with 20 American-Jewish organization leaders at his residence at Blair's House, Ambassador Fahmi said.

Two items top the Mubarak agenda in Washington namely Middle East peace process and the pre-September 11 terrorism and the post-September 11 possible terrorism, he added.

To the American Administration, the issue of terrorism is top priority, but Egypt regards Middle East peace as the top issue because the establishment of peace will eradicate a key cause behind terrorism, he said.

The two items are inter-related to many - as bilateral relations, he added.

From the very moment of the September 11 attacks, Egypt and the US saw it necessary to be in constant dialogue because it contributes to the establishment of a base of understanding built on facts, he said.

Unfortunately, the issue of terrorism imposed itself on the Bush administration in its first months, it had to depend on itself to confront the danger that was directly targetted against Americans, Ambassador Fahmi said.

Some Americans have called for unilateral action, but the truth is that one cannot fight terrorism successfully unless it is fought collectively and through full international cooperation, he added.

He expressed belief that although former American President Bill Clinton had failed in realizing peace despite all the time and personal effort he had given it, the unsuccessful Bush and Powell proposal on the Palestinian right to establish their own state and the ensuing escalating violence, nevertheless, the American Administration is still interested in peace.

The pressing issue now is to persuade the American Administration to reassume its leading role within an international framework to realize peace in the Middle East and to re-shoulder its responsibility as the main sponsor of the peace process, he said .

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Previous Stories:
  Mubarak: Egyptian-US relations are excellent   (2/28/2002)
  Mubarak-Bush summit draws optimism in Washington   (2/27/2002)
  On Mubarak's visit to the US   (2/25/2002)

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