Egypt is not pushing specific group to power in Afghanistan

Egypt on Thursday denied reports claiming it was trying to push a specific group to power in Afghanistan, in the post-Taliban phase.

"Such reports and speculations are baseless and who the Afghani people choose to power is none of Egypt's business, we hope that the Afghans will be united and dedicate themselves to the reconstruction of their country after these difficult times," Maher told MENA.

"Egypt's position is that it hopes that the UN-sponsored conference on Afghanistan in Bonn, a gathering grouping the various Afghan ethnic groups, succeed, that they all stand united for the sake of Afghanistan," Maher said.

On renewed talk about the possibility of extending the current military operations in Afghanistan to include Iraq, Maher said Egypt urged, and still urges, that the military strikes would not be extended beyond Afghanistan, and that no Arab country be attacked.

"If there are doubts about the activities of a certain state, they should be addressed within the UN umbrella and through the regular diplomatic and political channels," the Minister said.

"Egypt believes that Iraq should implement UN Security Council resolutions," Maher said.