US administration welcomes Mubarak's visit to Washington
Egypt-USA, Politics, 6/1/2002

The US administration has expressed its interest in President Mubarak's visit to the United States next Wednesday and his meeting with President George Bush in Camp David on Friday.

A state department official said Mubarak-Bush talks will deal with US strategy adopted by President Bush for solving Middle East conflict and which is based on the establishment of a Palestinian state side by side with Israeli state and executive steps for achieving this end.

Felip Ricker, the state department spokesman said in statements to Al Ahram that the US visualization focuses on political, security and economic aspects.

A US source told Reuters that President Bush talks with President Mubarak will deal with the convening of peace conference adding the administration highly appreciates Mubarak's efforts for achieving peace and stability in the Middle East adding President Mubarak' talks with US President Bush and US administration officials will focus on the upcoming steps and the role of the United States in establishing peace and ways of reaching a final solution.

On his part, President Bush said headway is current being achieved for laying down the foundations of a Palestinian state adding however that this needs much efforts and time.

He said his administration was committed to working with parties concerned in the Middle East and international community for carrying out his Mideast plan which is based on the establishment of a Palestinian and an Israeli state.

Bush said after his meeting with members of his government that Secretary of State Colin Powell was currently devoting his efforts for determining the date and venue of the international peace conference.

He said the date and venue of the peace conference have not yet been determined.

However, US officials hinted that the conference would not be held before next July and not in June as was proposed before.

Bush expressed hope that President Yasser Arafat would be responsible in order to avoid more violence acts.

He praised Arafat's efforts to carry out the required reforms and the need for selecting a new finance minister who enjoys an international place with the aim of combating corruption.

Meantime, US officials said talks held by William Burns the Assistant Secretary of State in Cairo were fruitful and that his talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon together with his talks in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan would help President Bush administration to determine a working plan towards the subsequent step mainly prospects for holding the proposed international peace conference.

Officials said the US-administration is currently making a comprehensive assessment of its stance in the light of reports by Burns and George Tenet, the director of the central intelligence agency and the results of their talks with senior officials in the Middle East before the beginning of prospective visit by President Mubarak to the United States.

Tenet left the United States on his way to the Middle East for discussing security measures between Palestinians and Israelis in the framework of a new mission that includes many countries, which are not disclosed for security reasons.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt's ambassador to US stresses importance of Mubarak's Washington visit   (5/31/2002)
  Bush needs to hear Mubarak view, US legislator   (5/30/2002)
  Grand Imam of Al Azhar calls upon world leaders to help establish Palestinian state   (5/30/2002)

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