Moussa urges US to reconsider Middle East peace efforts

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa spoke on Monday before the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He called upon the US administration to break the stalemate in Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations.

Moussa called for holding Israel responsible for the consequences of the Middle East peace process which has been deadlocked for more 16 months.

The Egyptian foreign minister warned against the danger threatening the region, noting that the Middle East peace process has been completely deadlocked. Moussa added that the current policies pursued by the Israeli government have led the people of the Middle East region to doubt the possibility of realizing a peace settlement.

Moussa said the Israeli position represent flagrant violations of the norms and principles on the grounds of which the Middle East peace process was built. He added that, "Israeli policies threaten the region's security and stability. They undermine the US credibility as a force of varied and big interests in the region as well as the US role as a honest broker in protecting basis of lasting peace."

Moussa asserted that Egypt "continues firm cooperation with the US" the two strategic partners in the Middle East peace." He indicated that Egypt has supported the recent efforts made by the US to reset the Middle East peace process into its right track.

He went on, "It is time now to review stances and to work together to find alternatives that guarantee the commitment of all sides concerned to peace principles as agreed upon in Madrid."