Egypt opposes regional cooperation before Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa has asserted that reviving the Middle East peace process requires tangible and concrete steps by the next Israeli government in order to carry out what had been reached of agreements and obligations on all tracks according to Madrid bases and the land-for-peace formula.

In press statements he made in Cairo on Thursday, the Egyptian foreign minister stated that the situation of the Middle East peace process depends on the direction in which Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak will proceed and the extent of his commitment to just and comprehensive peace.

He added that Egypt sent signals of "non-trust" to Barak over his stances, stressing that there is a future Arab move to withstand developments that might take place.

Moussa asserted his country's opposition of any regional economic cooperation prior to Israel's implementation of its obligation to maintain a full withdrawal from the Golan, south Lebanon and Palestine.