Maher: Washington will not permit the failure of Powell's mission

The Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher announced that the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon was defeated by the Palestinian resistance and the world's support for the Palestinian people.

In a statement to the Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas issued on Sunday, Maher said that Sharon has lost the battle at the world public opinion, stressing that the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the support of the Arab people and the world for this people had a decisive factor to its steadfastness.

On his meeting in Ramullah with the chairman of the Palestinian authority, Maher said he had discussed with Yasser Arafat steps for backing the Palestinian people and the Egyptian contacts with America, Europe and the UN towards this effect.

He added that the US has realized the critical situation in the region, noting that Washington will not permit the failure of the mission of its foreign minister Colin Powell.