Mubarak: Changing Iraqi regime is a domestic affair
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 10/31/2002

Whether in Arab states or everywhere in the world, changing regimes is a domestic affair that regards only the peoples concerned, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak said.

"Changing regimes in Arab countries and everywhere in the world, is a thing up to the peoples concerned alone. And even in the case of Iraq, change must stem from the Iraqi people, otherwise chaos are expected," President Mubarak told Morocco's second TV channel "2M."

Mubarak ended on Wednesday a three-day official visit to Morocco, during which he conferred with King Mohammed VI on several issues, including the situation in Iraq.

A final joint communique, stressed Rabat and Cairo's attachment to Iraq's security, independence and territorial integrity.

In his interview, the Egyptian leader said he repeatedly advised Iraq to abide by the United Nations resolutions, "otherwise this country would be losing ground to those calling for a military strike against it."

"I myself invited Iraq more than once to comply with the UN resolutions to avoid a war that would only engender a huge death toll amongst innocent Iraqi victims," he said, adding that his numerous calls for the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq were aiming to help Baghdad prove that it possesses no arms of mass-destruction.

"Iraq has nothing to fear from such a return (of UN inspectors)," he said.

Mubarak noted "some signs of change" in the US position regarding Iraq, following the debates of the UN Security Council and the reaction of the international public opinion. He cited, in this connection, President Bush's recent statement that the pre-emptive strike against Iraq is not the only option under scrutiny.

Mubarak equally touched on the Palestinian issue. "We must act and bear in mind that Washington supports and will continue supporting Israel," he stressed.

He blamed Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon for unwillingness to sign any peace accord with the Palestinians.

Unlike Yitzak Rabin, the ex-Israeli Labor prime minister killed by a Jewish extremist, "Sharon will never sign any accord with the Palestinians, and even if he ever does, he will renege on it." "Some non-official US personalities share my assessment in this regard," he added.

Sharon's tenure as Prime Minister, which started two years ago, witnessed 80 suicide attacks against six only during the three years of Ehud Barak's mandate, Mubarak deplored, adding "this is a sign of the Palestinian people's despair."

Mubarak warned that the situation risks to worsen further if political negotiations are not resumed. The construction of a security belt will not prevent Palestinians from waging attacks against Israel, he said.

"We have enough of bloodshed and perdition of resources on Israeli and Palestinian sides," stressed Mubarak, who added that his country and Morocco, which chairs the Al-Quds Committee (an arm of the Organization of Islamic Conference) strive for the establishment of a genuine peace in the Middle-East.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian Cabinet refuses attacking Iraq   (10/23/2002)
  Al-Rai al-Aam: Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh says it is forbidden to assist attacks on Iraq   (10/1/2002)
  Egypt denies mediation in Iraqi file   (9/28/2002)
  Arab intellectuals, politicians call on Mubarak to release Ibrahim   (9/27/2002)
  Mubarak visits Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, seeking to convince Iraq to accept UN inspectors   (9/16/2002)
  Mubarak meets four Arab ministers on Palestinian question, Sudan, Iraq   (9/7/2002)

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