Moussa voices Egypt's appreciation of Clinton's role

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa on Wednesday voiced Egypt's appreciation of the positive role played by US President Bill Clinton in the Middle East.

Addressing a joint press conference with Solana after a session of talks, Moussa said that Egypt trusted Clinton's sound assessment of the goings-on and supported any effort launched to scale down the volatile situation in the Middle East.

Answering a question on Egypt's rejection of holding a four-way summit under US sponsorship upon Clinton's suggestion in Sharm El-Sheikh, Moussa said that such a proposal could not be accepted given Israel's threats to three Arab states; Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, and the excessive use of force against civilians, especially the murder of children and the provocation of Arab sentiments.

Moussa called for withdrawing the Israeli troops, and stopping threats and attacks leveled against civilians.

All parties could talk after that and probe how to make progress.

Moussa said that discussing a quadrilateral summit under the standing circumstances was not viable and would not bear fruits.

"Israel's current policies are a blow to the peace process that have made the region go years back," he said.

Answering a query, Moussa said that the events taking place in the troubled Palestinian territories unified Arabs and the emergency pan-Arab summit would convene because such events could not go ignored.

Asked whether Egypt criticized Europe's weak and late response, Moussa said Egypt cannot criticize the European side, but Cairo called on the Europeans to be quicker in moving and more functional as regards the peace process and the Middle East.

"Solana was informed about such a content and on the importance of the European role in the peace process," he said.

"Egypt still cherishes the hope for a chance to bring peace back on track after redressing the standing problems, especially as time is running out fast," Moussa said.

Solana met with President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday after holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"Mubarak-Solana talks were detailed and long," Moussa said.

Solana, on his part, said the coming hours will see more contacts to make the climate suitable for forming an international fact-finding committee.

The Palestinians demand that such a committee probe the reasons behind the eruption of violence in Palestinian lands and Israel while the Israelis reject the idea.

ÏThe current disparities are not related to reviving the idea of the committee but rather to the nature of its composition,Ó he said.

He hoped that a satisfactory-to-all decision would be reached on the issue through UN Chief Kofi Annan's contacts with all parties concerned.

Solana denied that the issue of holding a four-way summit in Sharm El-Sheikh was tackled during his talks with President Mubarak and Moussa.

"What is important is that all parties exert efforts to quell the tension rampant at present," he said.

Answering a query on whether he felt that Arab leaders he talked with were frustrated with the situation as reflected by the demonstrations that erupted in their capitals in solidarity with Al-Aqsa Intifada in Jerusalem, Solana was positive and said that such frustration was clear.

On his assessment of the Egyptian role after rejecting the convocation of the four-man summit, the European commissioner said that all the parties realized the importance of the Egyptian role, which has been constructive, important and positive throughout the peace process. "We hope it will continue," he added.

"Solana denied that his talks in Egypt tackled any issue which was not on the agenda," he said.

On the ideas raised at present to settle the issue of Jerusalem, Solana said that the most important issue now was to defuse the tension. "Tshis is the reason behind my visit," he said.

On the gap between the Arabs and the Jews, he said that no doubt the events that took place made the two sides wider apart.

He hoped that this gap would not widen up to the point of no-return, in a bid to resume peace talks; the only means through which peace could be made.

Solana said that the Europeans were not late, as his visit coincided with that of Annan to the region.

The commissioner denied that the EU halted its moves. On the contrary, the EU was working strenuously since the peace process started and not only after the crisis erupted.