Kuwaiti - Egyptian statement on joint higher committee's first session
Egypt-Kuwait, Politics, 11/24/1998

Kuwait and Egypt have stressed that just and comprehensive peace in the region requires the restoration of all occupied Arab territories according to relevant UN resolutions, which provide for Israel's "full withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights until June 4, 1967 border line, from south Lebanon and its western Bekaa and the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, as well as the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people including their rights to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with Jerusalem as a capital."

In a joint press conference on works of the first session of the joint higher committee between the state of Kuwait and Egypt, which concluded its meetings on Monday, the two sides expressed total desire to commit to and work according to the content of the recent Arab summit and the unswerving principled stances unanimously adopted by the Arab leaders to strengthen Arab solidarity and establish a just and comprehensive peace to serve "the sublime interests of the Arab nation, to restore its usurped rights and territories and follow up effective moves during the coming phase."

The two sides renewed their condemnation and total rejection of the Israeli settlement policy in the Palestinian and Arab occupied territories. They categorically rejected all Israeli measures aiming at Judaizing and annexing Jerusalem. They stressed these practices and measures and null and void and of no legal and political authority.

The two sides also agreed on the need to make the Middle East a region free of all weapons of mass destruction. They asserted the need for Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and submit its nuclear institutions to international inspection and at the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The two sides stressed regret over all forms of terrorism, regardless of its sources and forms. They demanded an agreed-upon international action in the course of the UN providing for eliminating all forms of terrorism, achieving security and stability of communities and states' sovereignty.

The two countries reiterated their positions concerning Iraq's independence, its unity and territorial integrity. Also demanded was "complete cooperation between Iraq and UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency to avoid exposing the Iraqi people and the region to more risks.

The two sides, furthermore, "underlined the importance of continued efforts to strengthen Arab solidarity based on total commitment to the Arab League charter, the joint Arab defense treaty and Arab resolutions for the restoration of all Arab rights and strengthening of Arab national security."

The two countries welcomed the agreement reached between Syria and Turkey to contain their bilateral crisis and for resorting to dialogue and international legitimacy resolutions in settling disputes between the two countries.

They highly appreciated the efforts exerted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in attaining such a detente. The two countries called upon the Middle East peace process cosponsors, especially the US, to continue intensive efforts in support of the peace process on the grounds of which it was established as well as to resume negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks from the point at which they broke off.

They appealed to the European countries and all international forces concerned with the peace process in the region to continue their efforts to achieve the optimum just and comprehensive peace. The Egyptian delegation was chaired by Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and the Kuwaiti delegation by Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad.

Previous Stories:
  Meetings of Kuwaiti - Egyptian committee wrapping up   (11/23/1998)
  Meeting of Kuwaiti - Egyptian committee scheduled for Monday   (11/19/1998)
  A message from Mubarak to Kuwaiti leader   (11/2/1998)

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