Mideast security untenable under current conditions
Egypt, Politics, 11/19/1999

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa believes that it is difficult to discuss prospects for security cooperation in the Middle East in light of the current circumstances in the regional peace process.

Moussa, currently in Istanbul to attend meetings of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Summit, told the Middle East News Agency MENA's correspondent in Turkey on Wednesday that the matter needed first the existence of comprehensive peace between Arab and Israel.

Moussa mentioned some of the complications and doubts which invalidated such Middle East security cooperation at present.

"Only in an atmosphere of comprehensive and just peace could such cooperation be considered," he added. Moussa rejected the notion of copycatting other security institutions in the world, in reference to the OSCE.

"A desire to establish security cooperation in the Middle East should emanate from a common interest that is yet to evolve," he said.

The Egyptian top diplomat pressed for action to eliminate weapons of mass destruction in the Mideast region.

Asked what impact the outcome of the Istanbul OSCE Summit could have on the Middle East, Moussa explained that the Summit was primarily concerned with the Mediterranean, and not the Mideast region, and that participants in the Summit were here as representatives of Mediterranean, and not Mideast countries.

"The Summit's agenda is, therefore, discussing Mediterranean Security," he added. But Moussa conceded to some intertwining between the two regions, with Middle East countries showing interest in the issue of Mediterranean security.

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