Mubarak - Chirac talks cover Palestinian, Iraq issues
Egypt-France, Politics, 7/27/2002

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak held a session of talks at the Elysee Palace yesterday with French President Jacques Chirac, followed by a press conference.

President Chirac said, at the pres conference, that the talks with President Mubarak took up viewpoints on the international issues specially the Middle East issue along with Iraq and Sudan.

President Mubarak said that killing of children by Israel is a disgraceful act and lacks humanitarian sense. He said that he had strong relationship with Chirac since their first meeting, adding that such relationship became stronger after the meeting.

President Mubarak said his talks with President Chirac dealt with a number of issues, including bilateral relations and the Middle East problem.

Mubarak said he also probed with the French President the Iraqi issue.

Asked about what he was awaiting from Europe, especially after his tour of France and Spain, President Mubarak said that the European countries, especially France, understand the Middle East problem and all Arab issues.

Mubarak said that France was aware of the gravity of the situation in the Middle East, so he was keen to visit Paris and Madrid, to discus the Middle East problem, adding that the Egyptian-French views were identical on the issue.

Asked about the French stance towards replacing the Iraqi regime, the French President said it was better for Baghdad to agree with the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the return of the weapon inspectors.

Asked if France shared Egypt's viewpoint that it was difficult to hold Palestinian reforms and elections without Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories, Chirac said that he noticed that the reactions by France and Egypt were similar on most of the international issues.

On whether he shares Mubarak's view that Arafat was the only Palestinian leader capable of holding negotiations, President Chirac said that he has already shared President Mubarak's viewpoint on the issue.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak, Chirac target is breaking cycle of violence   (7/25/2002)
  Egyptian- French summit next week   (5/28/2002)
  Mubarak holds phone conversations with Chirac   (4/4/2002)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search