Mubarak and Merkel discuss bilateral relations, regional issues
Egypt-Germany, Positive example, 5/11/2006

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak met yesterday German Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. They discussed bilateral relations, developments in the Middle East and economic relations.

At a joint press conference with President Mubarak, Merkel welcomed the President's visit, the second one to Germany in two months, adding that this visit is evidence of the deep friendly relations between Egypt and Germany.

President Mubarak expressed his pleasure over attending the opening of the Egyptian Exhbition in Berlin Thrusday. He highlighted the strength of relations with Germany.
Merkel told reporters that her talks with Mubarak mirrored the depth of the two countries' relations, noting that they discussed several issues of mutual interest, especially ways to a peaceful solution of international problems.

President Mubarak repeated his nearly decade-old call for the convening of an international conference on terrorism. He said the root causes of terrorism and ways to fight it must be discussed.

Chancellor Merkel said she supported the international anti- terrorism treaty noting that Germany preferred UN participation in all terrorism-combat efforts, and denounced the terrorist acts in Egypt recently.

She said that, under the framework of Barcelona Process, the European Union was currently seeking to reach a clear-cut definition of terrorism which harmed innocent people and wreaked havoc in peaceful nations.

She said that the current international situation was the reason behind Mubarak's coming to Germany twice in such a short period of time, highlighting the way the two countries have always maintained direct contacts.

Mubarak said he and Merkel discussed everything connected with the Palestinian problem; the challenges facing the Palestinian people, the relationship between Fattah and Hamas and how to assist the Palestinians to earn their living.

He said that they alsoprobed bilateral ties and Germany's stand towards the Iranian nuclear standoff, especially in light of Chancellor Merkel's recent visit to the US.
Merkel praised economic cooperation between Egypt and Germany, commending Mubarak for his efforts to encourage bilateral ties.

She said that her talks with Mubarak over the situation in the Middle East continued over lunch where they were briefed by the German Foreign Minister on the latest talks by the international Quartet.

According to her, Germany seeks to attain two things; first, Hamas's commitment to the principles of peace, renunciation of violence, recognition of Israel's right to exist and acceptance of previous agreements. The second, she said, is to put an end to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories and to offer a helping hand to the Palestinians.

"We disagree with Hamas as far as its principles are concerned," she said, urging the Islamic Palestinian resistance movement to change itself. She said that her talks with Mubarak on the Iranian nuclear problem showed that they shared the same view on the need to reach a diplomatic solution to the matter.

Terming relations between Egypt and Germany as "very good," President Mubarak said he proposed the launching of a joint project to manufacture automobile spare parts in Egypt.

He promised that Egypt would offer German companies all the facilities needed to establish the project, pointing out that a German delegation would visit Cairo soon to discuss all the details. Mubarak hopes the project would turn Egypt into a hub for producing auto spare parts that could be exported to countries of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and beyond that to other parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.

When asked about the Palestinian situation he said that he would wait for the return of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert from a visit to the US to meet him and discuss a solution for the Palestinian people. He said that he had promised Merkel to keep her posted on the outcome of any future talks between Olmert and himself.

Replying to a question about his initiative to hold an international conference on terrorism, the President said that such a conference was a must, noting that if it did take place its resolutions should be binding.

About the reason behind visiting Germany twice over such a short interval, he said that during his earlier visit he was invited by the German President to attend the Sunken Treasures Exhibition inauguration and "I promised him I would do that."

According to Mubarak, his current visit was an opportunity for him to confer with the German leader on the many changes that have taken place in the Palestinian and Iranian dossiers over the past couple of months.

Meanwhile, President Hosni Mubarak yesterday met heads of five major 'automotive companies, namely Volkswagen, DaimlerChrysler, Seimens Bosch and BMW.

The meeting focused on ways of encouraging them to establish factories for assembling and manufacturing cars in Egypt to provide more job opportunities and help enhance industry in the country.

Moreover, President Mubarak received at his residence Wednesday 10/5/2006 German Parliament Speaker Norbert Lammert.

He said that his meeting with Mubarak covered such important issues as economic and political relations between Cairo and Berlin.

Lammert yesterday said that Germany highly appreciates the role played by Egypt in the Middle East region and particularly its way of seeking peaceful solutions for the area's problems.

He described the opening of Egypt's Sunken Treasures Exhibition in Berlin as a great event not only for Germany but also for the world.

Egypt owns an astounding civilization unrivaled by any other country, he said. He expects the exhibition to attract a record number of visitors as the Tut Ankh Amoun exhibition did once before in Bonn.

Egypt played a pivotal and most effective role in the Arab world, Lammert said, highlighting in particular the great role that Egypt has undertaken to settle the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict. He said that the German leadership regarded with high esteem all efforts exerted by Egypt to serve the world and the Arab nation.

Answering a question on Germany's stance towards the Iranian nuclear file, he said that Berlin was working with fellow members of the UN Security Council to guarantee that Iran did not obtain nuclear weapons.

He noted, however, that the international community "respects" Iran's right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. He underlined the need for rebuilding confidence between Iran and the world community

Previous Stories:
  Tantawi: Muslims, Copts part of Egypt's social fabric   (4/18/2006)
  Mubarak receives German foreign minister   (1/20/2006)
  Million German tourists visit Egypt in winter   (8/25/2005)
  Mubarak receives phone call from German Chancellor   (7/21/2005)
  Egypt, Germany sign contract for wind-power station   (2/22/2005)
  Mohammed el-Orbai : One million German tourists visited Egypt in 2004   (1/18/2005)

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

Search