US backs Egypt's leading role in ME, Arab World
Egypt-USA, Politics, 12/24/1999

The US backs Egypt's leading role in the Middle East and the Arab World, US Ambassador in Cairo Daniel Kurtzer said yesterday.

Addressing a cultural meeting organized by the Egyptian Afro-Asian people's solidarity (AAPSO) Committee on the future of Egypt-US relations and the development of peace in the region, Kurtzer said that the points of agreement in Egypt-US views far outnumbered the points of disagreement.

The American diplomat denied that Washington was seeking to impose Israel's hegemony on the region or as a center of its policy as an attempt to marginalize Egypt's role.

The American administration coordinates all matters with Egypt, respects and understands its positions even if they totally differ from the administration's vision, he said.

Thanks to the strategic relations with Egypt, the US modified its opinions on some cases, he said, referring to the Libyan problem as an example.

The US was convinced by the Egyptian viewpoint aiming to solve that crisis, he pointed out.

On the aid allocated to Egypt in the past 20 years, Kurtzer estimated it at dollars 50 billion, a figure that reflected US interest in the development and stability march in Egypt in addition to the Mubarak-Gore Initiative.

The Ambassador also referred to the rich and exceptional Egyptian-American cooperation in upgrading infrastructure, health, transportation, communications, science, technology, and the environment.

Kurtzer gave Egypt credit for the launching of the peace process in the Middle East over about 20 years ago.

He also stressed the importance of Egypt's ongoing efforts in a bid to come to a lasting, just, and comprehensive peace in the region.

He sounded optimistic about forging peace forward on all tracks and referred to US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's announcement that the second round of Syria-Israel talks would be held in West Virginia, near Washington, in January.

Although peace could be made after 20 year of the success of Egypt-Israel process, this does not mean that matters are not complicated and thorny, he said.

The American Diplomat urged the Syrian and Palestinian sides to benefit from the Egyptian experience that recovered the Egyptian territories and helped set up a strong peace and security relationship between Egypt and Israel.

On the recently-approved aid to South Sudan by the congress, Kurtzer said that the deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the population in the south was behind that decision, taking into account that continued strikes against them hindered the arrival of international supplies.

Washington is closely following up the situation in Sudan in coordination with Egypt, especially after the Parliament Speaker Hassan Turabi was ousted, he said.

Kurtzer referred to the terrorism waves that were exported from Sudan to Egypt.

On Iraq, the American Ambassador called on Baghdad to endorse the recent United Nations Security Council to form a new inspection team, as it would allow, during the space of four months, the lifting of embargo imposed on Iraq once it shows full cooperation with the inspectors.

Previous Stories:
  US Congress delegation: US -Egyptian relations important   (12/10/1999)
  Mubarak calls for a peace that restores the whole of the Golan   (12/10/1999)
  Albright meets Mubarak today   (12/9/1999)

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