Maher asserted the importance of the coming African summit in Maputo
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 7/3/2003

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher asserted the importance of the coming African summit, to be held in Maputo, Mozambique, next week due to the tough circumstances facing the African continent

In press statements on Tuesday, Maher pointed out that figuring high on the summit's agenda is the choice of a chairman for commission of the African Union, which replaced the Organization of African Unity.

Intensive consultations are held among the African states in this respect, he pointed out.

Maputo summit will deal with the new initiative for African development known as the New Partnership for African's Development (NEPAD) in order to assert relationship between NEPAD as a part of the union and its other agencies.

Africa's political and economic situation and promotion of relations among its states will also be examined, he said.

On Italy assuming the EU rotating presidency as of Tuesday, July 1, and fears by some especially in the light of the Italian premier's avoidance to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Maher said Egypt highly appreciates Italy's stance as a whole, a stance, he added, that is adopted collectively by the EU.

During his recent visit to Egypt, Italian Premier Berlusconi said his country pays due attention to the Middle East issue and that he has a project for offering development assistance to the region's states known as "the Marshal project," Maher said.

If circumstances prevented Berlusconi from meeting Arafat, this will not change the fact that there was a collective European stance in dealing with President Arafat, he added.

Asked if a US invitation to Palestinian Premier Abu Mazen was meant to send a message to the whole world that Abu Mazen is the Palestinian personality who should be dealt with, Maher clarified that all Palestinian negotiators went to the US and thus it was only natural that Abu Mazen, as Palestinian premier, should be invited to Washington.

This will not affect the fact that Arafat is the elected and legitimate Palestinian president, he said.

Previous Stories:
  Al- Baz calls for implementing UN legitimacy in ME   (6/30/2003)
  Maher calls for just, comprehensive ME peace   (6/30/2003)
  Maher leads Egypt's delegation to AU's foreign ministerial meeting   (6/28/2003)

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