Egypt Does not pressure Arafat to stop Intifada

In an interview with Al-Arabi newspaper, Egyt's Presidential Political Advisor Osama El-Baz said that Egypt has not committed to pressure Arafat to stop the Intifada erupting since last September.

He added that the half-an-hour meeting between president Mubarak and the CIA chief George Tenet a couple of weeks ago did not come up with identical viewpoints since each party has his own concept of the means of realizing peace and stability in the region.

The Egyptian viewpoint is based on the notion that peace is the key for security not the contrary. As long as the Palestinian people feels suppressed with its rights usurped, it will never be able, even if it tries, to keep calm. Keeping calm means giving up its rights and duty to fight occupation and foreign control, El-Baz remarked.

President Mubarak understands the Palestinian reservations as regards Tenet' plan and the document he approved during his tour in the ME. However, he has, as usual, left the Palestinian leadership to take the decision since the Palestinians are more able to understand the situation and to achieve the best interest of the Palestinain people and its cause.