President Mubarak's address to the nation on the occasion of October celebrations, 2002

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak's address to the nation on the occasion of October celebrations, 2002, here follows is the official text:

ÊÊÊ Dear Citizens,

Brothers and Sons,

Officers and Personnel of the Armed Forces.

ÊÊÊ The 6th of October will always remain one of the greatest and most-remembered days of Egypt.

ÊÊÊ Over history, we will continue to celebrate the memory of this glorious victory.

ÊÊÊ Through this victory, the (1967) setback situation was rectified, the will for wanton aggression, driven by hegemony and expansion vanquished, and the honor and dignity of the nation regained, and our Armed Forces were crowned with laurel.

ÊÊÊ On that glorious day, our Armed Forces regained their pride and self-confidence.

ÊÊÊ The Armed Forces had successfully completed a stupendous military feat, consummated an impossible mission, thus deterring forces of aggression.

ÊÊÊ Putting an end to the state of no-war, no-peace, our Armed Forces could radically change the situation in the Middle East region. they proved to the whole world that the Egyptians were able to achieve a daring military act, based on courageous decision, careful planning and preparation, and valiant performance.

ÊÊÊ This involved a strategic, preemptive strike, crowning the sacrifices of the Egyptian people and their Armed Forces with an articulate victory that will be a source of pride for the coming generations.

ÊÊÊ While so many are Egypt's great events and so fraught is its deep-rooted history with memorable days, of all days and events, the 6th of October rises out so lofty as Egypt's most remembered, most valuable and most influential .

ÊÊÊ On that great day, the will for challenge triumphed and the Egyptian people engaged most successfully in a battle of life or death.

ÊÊÊ Having refused to give in to fait accompli, they stood fast against numerous attempts geared to instill despair and discourage them.

ÊÊÊ The people also obstinately staved off scheming by a worldwide collusion that attempted to undermine their ability to liberate their land.

ÊÊÊ Therefore, our people made up their mind to embark onto the battle of destiny, armed with trust in Allah and confidence in their Armed Forces.

ÊÊÊ They were all confident that the bravery of men would offset shortage of weaponry and equipment, as they were inevitably fighting a fair war, in defense of honor, survival and in retaliation for dignity.

ÊÊÊ The Egyptian people was not entrapped into domestic conflicts but it rather stood up shoulder-by-shoulder by the side of its Armed Forces shoring up their capabilities and placing the liberation of land on top of all priorities.

ÊÊÊ Thus, the Armed Forces could shatter down the myth of invincible power as well as the security doctrines based on that power.

ÊÊÊ They further dismantled all barriers, blockade and lines earlier set up to prevent the people from liberating their land.

ÊÊÊ This gave proof to every one that military supremacy was not an exclusive monopoly of a specific party.

ÊÊÊ It also proved that good Egyptian military planning , indomitable courage of Egyptian warriors, and their belief in the nobility of their goals, were stronger and bigger than any gaps in capability and sophistication in equipment and military plant.

ÊÊÊ The October War proved that the aggression of force could never protect security, nor could if guarantee stability and that racial supremacy was an illusion and fantasy.

ÊÊÊ It also proved that the international conditions no matter how over powering could never keep any people away from their legitimate hopes or force them to accept injustice and aggression or a status quo that might encroach upon their legitimate rights.

ÊÊÊ The will of peoples is much stronger than forces of oppression and suppression no matter how great.

ÊÊÊ The October war had a crucial impact on the prospects of the Middle East.

ÊÊÊ This war proved that it was impossible to impose status quo, to maintain a state of no-peace-no-war, to hold monopoly of military supremacy or to force peoples of the region to accept occupation.

ÊÊÊ This war also proved that real security could not be guaranteed by geographical expansion at the expense of others, by claims and practices of power no matter how arrogant nor by attempts to break up peoples, will so as to give in to status quo.

Sons, Officers and Personnel,

Brothers and Sisters:

ÊÊÊ The glorious October war crystallized the will for peace in the Middle East region and opened the door for a historic reconciliation between the Arabs and Israel.

ÊÊÊ In addition, it gave a beam of hope for putting an end to the vertigo of war and devastation that had drained off the region's resources for more than half a century. That war also opened the door to comprehensive and just peace based on clear principles of international legitimacy agreed upon by all parties.

ÊÊÊ In this respect, the Arab countries have already taken the lead on the road towards peace as they unanimously adopted an Arab peace initiative at Beirut Summit of the Arab league.

ÊÊÊ In so doing, they confirmed their adoption of peace as a strategic choice and rendered an integrated vision of fair and comprehensive peace.

ÊÊÊ The initiative calls for Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied in 1967, including the Golan Heights and the rest of Lebanon occupied lands, establishing an independent sovereign Palestinian state on the Western Bank and Gaza Strip, in addition to a settlement of the problem of Palestinian refugees.

ÊÊÊ This should be a basis for building up normal relations between Israel and all Arab countries. The Arab pursuit of peace was boosted by the US President's initiative for a settlement of the Palestinian problem.

ÊÊÊ That was the first time to have a clear US vision for establishing an independent sovereign Palestinian state to live side-by-side with an Israeli state in security and stability within internationally-recognized borders by 2003.

ÊÊÊ This should be attained under an integrated plan where a number of mutual and parallel commitments are to be honored with the object of creating conditions necessary to convert the Palestinian Authority into a Palestinian government capable of holding control over all territories of the proposed Palestinian state, on the one hand.

ÊÊÊ On the other, this plan should bring about security and stability that the Israeli government has long failed to attain through its policies of repressing and humiliating the Palestinian people and their leadership.

ÊÊÊ Both the Arab and American initiatives were internationally approved and supported, such support triggered intensive political activity during the first half of this year.

ÊÊÊ We have been actively involved in this activity together with the European Union, Federal Russia, the United Nations and the rest of the Arab and foreign peace-loving nations.

ÊÊÊ However, Israel failed to respond to the call for peace; insisting to bring about security through military and repressive means as a condition to enter into negotiations or any political settlement.

ÊÊÊ In addition, it took advantage of the escalating international campaign against terrorism to demand a change in legitimately elected Palestinian leadership in contradiction to all democratic principles that Israel boosts of every now and then.

ÊÊÊ Heedless to protests by the international community, Israel proceeded headlong with its brutal acts; reoccupying territories of the Palestinian Authority, besieging the elected Palestinian leadership, rendering it unable to control the situation in the Palestinian territories.

ÊÊÊ In addition, it aborted all Palestinian Authority's endeavors to hold security control and to curb the activity of organizations and movements affiliated thereto.

ÊÊÊ Moreover, Israel opted for escalation as a policy for dealing with the Palestinian people leading to a real humanitarian tragedy to this sisterly people.

ÊÊÊ Investmental to sustained Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and leadership were absence of effective international opposition and lack of even a clear detailed vision of how to implement the US initiative for creating the Palestinian state.

ÊÊÊ This prompted Israel to seize the opportunity, trying to impose changes and reforms on the leadership and working modalities of the Palestinian Authority in various areas.

ÊÊÊ Such demands are not offset by any counter commitment by Israel to withdraw to September 28, 2000 borders or to discontinue building settlements or enter into political negotiations that may renew hope in the hearts of the Palestinian people and concomitantly calm down the situation on the ground.

ÊÊÊ It is saddening to note that some active players have let themselves be carried away by the Israeli vision that can ruin the peace process and to undermine all opportunities provided by the proposed initiatives for a comprehensive settlement that can guarantee the interests of all parties.

ÊÊÊ The end-result is that we can now see a grave regression in Middle East peace process and a graver reneging on the commitment to principles of comprehensive settlement.

ÊÊÊ Such situation jeopardizes the destiny of the Middle East region, creates opportunities for reciprocal violence, augments hatred among peoples of the region for generations to come, thus threatening their security, safety and stability.

ÊÊÊ The Middle East peace march, an offshoot of the glorious war of October opened the doors to negotiations on all tracks based on the Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of Land for Peace.

ÊÊÊ This great march is now subjected to grave dangers by the recent policies of the current Israeli government.

ÊÊÊ Such policies are exclusively based on the use of force as a means to its end. This practice is now followed in flagrant challenge to all concluded agreements and understandings as a kind of inhuman mass punishment inflicted on the people of Palestine.

ÊÊÊ This government now assassinates activists and exiles their families, demolishes houses, uproots trees, destroys camps, reoccupies Palestinian cities and villages and imposes severe blockade and curfew on them.

ÊÊÊ Hence, it creates a hazardous atmosphere that intensifies frustration and despair, encourages continuous mutual violence and dilapidates moderate and peace powers on both sides in favor of the extremist powers.

ÊÊÊ Israel will be once again mistaken, should it think that such policies can bring back the aspired security or can subjugate the Palestinian people so as to yield in to their commands.

ÊÊÊ Although the successive military campaigns on the armless Palestinian people may bring about some relative calm in acts of violence, they at the same time multiply hatred and antipathy towards the people and government of Israel, not only from the Palestinian side but also from all Arabs.

ÊÊÊ While Arabs have once again offered peace, Israel responded with aggression.

ÊÊÊ Hence, I once more warn the Israeli government against the grave consequences of its policies on the prospects of the Middle East region as well as the future security and stability of the people of Israel.

ÊÊÊ I call upon all international powers-and foremost the United States of America-to stand firmly against such aggression and flagrant intransigence, in the interest of peace and stability in the Middle East region.

ÊÊÊ In this context, the credibility of the international efforts in which we are all involved to combat international terrorism largely depends on our ability to reach urgent political solutions to all political long-standing problems on top of which is the Middle East problem.

ÊÊÊ This also depends on compliance with fixed criteria in our war against terrorism. Thus, we will not give some parties the chance to use this war to achieve their narrow private interests regardless of the more comprehensive and overriding interests of the international community as a whole.

ÊÊÊ Hence, we should not allow Israel to use the international campaign against terrorism to implement its expansionist scheme in the Palestinian territories or to impose a new Palestinian leadership that may be responsive to its orientations and plans.

ÊÊÊ The Palestinian people should be allowed to practice their democratic rights to choose their trusted leadership that represents their interests even though it was the current leadership.

ÊÊÊ Finally, l am sure that the will for peace will triumph and that enemies of peace will fail however it takes them to stop the march of history and drag the region once again to the vicious circle of conflict and war.

ÊÊÊ In spite of difficult circumstances experienced by the region, peoples still align themselves and stick to peace as the right overarching goal.

ÊÊÊ The triumph of the will for just peace is tantamount to that of the peoples of the region, including that of Israel, who all yearn for a secure, stable life.

ÊÊÊ This is also a genuine victory for the will of the Egyptian people, who had opened up the road to peace. For its sake, they have made serious sacrifices and have remained in steadfast belief in peace in spite of the huge difficulties faced.

ÊÊÊ Greetings to the martyr of Egypt, the hero of peace and war late President Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat for his courageous decision that ended up the state of no peace, no war and for his historic initiative that set for the war the noble and vivid goal of just peace that brings about security to all parties and that restores legitimate national rights to all Arab peoples.

ÊÊÊ Greetings to all our heroes who participated in this glorious war; hence, regaining land and dignity for Egypt and restoring the pride and loftiness of the Egyptian military.

ÊÊÊ Greetings to our courageous Armed Forces and martyrs who planted trees of this eternal victory with their pure blood; thus sacrificing their souls for the sake of land and nation.

ÊÊÊ Greetings to the great people of Egypt who backed up and provided all assistance to their Armed Forces, fully confident of their ability to realize victory.

ÊÊÊ May Allah guide us to the path of success.

May His Peace, Mercy and Blessings be unto you.