Suliman Awwad: Gaza pullout must be coordinated with Palestinians
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 5/11/2005

Israel should coordinate with the Palestinians over its plan to put off until mid-August its withdrawal from Gaza Strip originally planned for mid-July, Egypt's Presidential Spokesperson Suliman Awwad said yesterday.

Awwad was commenting on an announcement by Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon that Israel would delay the start of its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, because of a three-week Jewish mourning period that end by a day of fasting to commemorate the destruction of Jewish temples during Biblical times.

Egypt does not object to the delay as long as Israel will be committed to a full withdrawal from Gaza Strip including from the strategic Philadelphia route and so long as the withdrawal remains as an inseparable part of the roadmap and is carried out in coordination with the Palestinians, Awwad said.

When asked about recent US statements which some Egyptian critics consider as a flagrant interference in Egyptian internal affairs, Awwad stressed Egypt's rejection of any external pressures.

"But let us not over exaggerate, for Egypt's strategic relationship with the US is firm and based on close cooperation in all fields," he said, adding that closeness between the two countries does not prevent differences in views from appearing from time to time.

Awwad spoke about the upcoming five-way summit on Darfur, to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh next week.

The Summit was originally planned for last month but it was postponed till this month because of other engagements by the participating heads of state and government.

He said President Hosni Mubarak is holding intensive contacts to guarantee that the summit becomes a success.

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