Egypt: Morocco and Algeria can agree on vision to settle dispute over Sahara

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt arrived in Morocco yesterday for a three-day official visit.

Mubarak, who is accompanied by his spouse Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, was welcomed at the airport by King Mohammed VI, who was accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid, and Princess Lalla Meryem.

Meantime, Egypt believes that Algeria and Morocco can agree on a joint vision to settle their dispute over the Sahara, said Osama Al Baz, political advisor to Egyptian President Mubarak.

Speaking in an interview with MAP on the eve of Mubarak's three day official visit to Morocco starting this Monday, the Egyptian official said Egypt considers that the Moroccan-Algerian dispute is harmful to both states as each one of them needs to use all its natural, human and economic potentials to achieve development and face challenges. The Egyptian president has a perfect knowledge of the region and was the first Arab head of state to conduct a mediation mission between the two neighboring states in 1975, Al Baz said.

For Al Baz, an amicable solution can be found to the issue as it is not in the interest of neither state to weaken the other country nor to divest its efforts from internal and external challenges.

Egypt will not hesitate to bring its contribution to reconciling the two neighboring nations, owing to its will to clear any misunderstanding or tension between Morocco and Algeria, Al Baz said.

Al Baz brushed aside rumors over "a notable slackening" relations between the two Arab countries and over the existing of a "competition" between Rabat and Cairo. "Our bilateral relations are exemplary and admit no misunderstanding," said Al Baz, adding that President Mubarak consults on a regular basis with King Mohammed VI, "just as he did with the late king Hassan II."

Talks between King Mohammed VI and Egyptian President will be topped by Arab-Islamic issues, said Mubarak's political advisor, Al Baz, and that discussions will be dominated by the Palestinian issue, the tragic situation of the Palestinian people, international efforts to resume the Middle East peace process and Arab and International endeavors to find a way out to the Iraqi crisis.