American Jewish delegation in Cairo
Egypt, Politics, 2/18/1998

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa met with representatives of the American Jewish Committee, who are currently visiting Cairo within their tour of the region.

Robert Rifkind, AJC president and the delegation's spokesman, said they have discussed many issues concerning the region: Egyptian - American and Egyptian - Israeli relations, the situation in Iraq, relations with Iran, and the peace process. Rifkind said his country is taking a decisive position towards Iraq.

Asked about whether a US military strike against Iraq would affect the acceptance of Israel in the region, since it is considered to be the only country that will benefit from the US policy in the region, the spokesman said, "I don't believe that Israel has anything to do with what's currently happening."

Concerning Israel not being exposed to any pressures despite of its refusal to implement UN Security Council resolutions regarding its withdrawal from occupied territories, Rifkind deflected the question, "Israel is not mainly concerned with whether Saddam implements Security Council resolutions or not," adding, "We would also not ignore the existence of toxic gases in Iraq."

Concerning Israeli possessing a nuclear arsenal and not subjecting that arsenal to any kind of inspection or supervision and refusing to sign the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty, Rifkind said that there is nothing new in the Arab world's feelings about this matter, ading that Iraq's president Saddam Hussein forms a great danger to the region and Israel does not.

Rifkind said that there is not any relation between the Iraqi crisis and the peace problem in the region.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa points to Annan Iraq visit for solution   (2/17/1998)
  Arab League, Egypt receive invitations from Qatar   (2/17/1998)
  Iraq's Sahaf reiterates Iraqi inspection proposal   (2/14/1998)

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

Search