Mubarak's visit to Washington will focus on peace process on Palestinian - Israeli track

Egypt's Ambassador to the US Nabil Fahmy said that President Hosni Mubarak's visit to the United States on June 5 will be a non conventional working visit during which an emphasis will be laid on the peace process on the Palestinian - Israeli track.

He said that intensive preparations are underway for the visit during which President Mubarak will have meetings with senior US officials topped by President George Bush.

"In an interview with MENA, Fahmi said that the agenda of the visit is still being studied," he said.

"The visit is expected to be shorter than the annual presidential visits that it will be completely devoted to talks and meetings," he said.

It has not yet been decided whether President Bush will receive President Mubarak more than once.

President Mubarak starts the visit on June 5 at an invitation from President Bush.

President Mubarak is expected to meet with US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

President Mubarak is expected to give a number of interviews and meet several congressmen.

He is expected to receive congressmen at his residential guesthouse. A high powered diplomatic delegation will be accompanying the president.

"President Mubarak is not expected to attend meeting of the first Egyptian-US Presidents' council in its new formation," Fahmi said.

"He added that if bilateral issues were raised they would be held on the sidelines of the main talks which would deal with the peace process in the first place," Fahmi said.

Asked on reports that Saudi Arabia and Egypt were competing regarding the peace process, the Egyptian ambassador said there is no competition between the two countries.

"Egypt, and surely Saudi Arabia are looking forward to seeing the end of the Arab - Israeli conflict," he said.

"Saudi Arabia's peace proposals have been adopted by all Arabs and they are constructive and positive and rest on the agreed upon Arab principles and constants," he said.

Elaborating, Fahmi said the issue does not lie in competition or integration or non-integration. It rather lies in Israel which does not respond to the Arab proposals and up till now it did not express its approval to fully withdraw from the occupied Arab lands.

The Egyptian ambassador expressed the belief that President Mubarak's visit would be of vital importance due to the fact that it would define stances for the coming future and would be an attempt to come out of the current crisis.

Asked whether President Mubarak will be speaking to the US in his capacity as the President of Egypt or whether he is assigned by the Arab states to speak on their behalf, Fahmi said President Mubarak speaks in the first place as Egypt's leader but he also carries with regional responsibilities in view of Egypt's Mideast role in time of war and peace. Egypt is a member of all the Arab committees dealing with the peace process," he said.

"Egypt moreover has its valuable contributions and historic role in the peace negotiations especially regarding the Palestinian-Israeli track," he said.

President Mubarak's visit to Washington, to start on June 5, comes at the right time in view of the conditions in the Middle East after the Israeli incursion into Palestinian territories.