US appreciates Mubarak's unstinting support for ME peacemaking
Egypt-USA, Politics, 5/20/2002

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday received Edward Walker, head of the US-based Middle East Institute and discussed the situation in the troubled area.

Walker told reporters after the meeting that they had a very positive discussion regarding the ongoing tensions in the area and the need to move from violence into negotiations to end the protracted conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

He added that President Hosni Mubarak was a stalwart for peace in the region and that he did a great deal to assist the US administration in its pursuit of peace in the area.

He also hoped that present efforts would eventually promote regional peace, preserve Palestinian rights and interests in addition to ending the violence, adding that cooperation between the US and Arab countries was the best way to encourage chances for peace in the area.

Walker, who served as an ambassador in Egypt before, is visiting Egypt as part of a Middle East tour which also includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain.

The purpose of the tour is to sound out Arab reactions to the present developments in the region and convey an accurate picture of the situation to the US administration.

Walker described the situation in the area as tragic because of systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure. He also said it was impossible to hold Palestinian elections as long as the Israeli military offensive against Palestinian areas continued.

He strongly welcomed the steps taken by the Palestinian leader towards reforms in the Palestinian Authority, adding that these efforts would contribute to the rise of an independent Palestinian state on basis of democracy and accountability.

In addition to the Palestinian situation, Mubarak and Walker also discussed ways of sorting out Libyan-US differences and reviewed the new sanctions regime on Iraq.

President Mubarak later received Sheikh Salem Al-Sabbah, head of the Kuwaiti National Committee for Prisoners of War.

Salem, who delivered a verbal message to Mubarak from Kuwiti Emir, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabbah, said his country strongly appreciated Egypt's efforts to solve the problem of Kuwaiti POWs in Iraq.

"Although Egypt doesn't have a formal initiative in this regard, Kuwait counts on the Egyptian efforts to solve this problem and enhance pan-Arab solidarity," Sheikh Salem told reporters after the meeting.

The President also received Libyan Prime Minister Embarak al-Shamekh, who briefed Mubarak on the outcome of the meeting of the Higher Egyptian-Libyan Commission.

The Commission agreed to the establishment of joint projects and streamlining trade cooperation between the two countries.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak's contacts led to positive development in US stance-Maher   (5/14/2002)
  Egyptian Evangelical Church in California calls on Bush to carry out UNSC resolutions on Mideast   (5/14/2002)
  Mubarak sends two messages to Bush, Sharon on developments in Palestine   (5/11/2002)

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