Egypt adopts clear-cut anti-terrorism stance

"Egypt is against all forms of terrorism as it had suffered much from it," said Minister of Information Safwat AL-Sherif.

Addressing members of the Egyptian Lebanese friendship society in Cairo, Sherif pointed out that President Hosni Mubarak has called for holding an international conference to combat terrorism.

"If the world had responded positively to Mubarak's call and a binding agreement had been reached, such an international coalition might not have been needed," said Al Sherif.

Sherif stressed that Egypt is against punishing a people for mistakes made by individuals.

He described the Palestinian issue as very dangerous and called for the establishment of the Palestinian State with Al Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.