Moussa: Opening the secure passage is a positive step toward peace

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa stated that opening the secure passage between the West Bank and Gaza Strip forms a positive and additional step toward implementing the Wye River and Sharm El-Sheikh accords, saying that Egypt feels relief for taking this step.

Concerning the Ramallah trilateral meeting regarding refugees and Israel's non participation in it, Moussa said this meeting is a scheduled Arab meeting and not the fourfold meeting that is supposed to be held afterwards.

The meeting will also be attended by Nabil Shaath, minister of international cooperation in the Palestinian Authority and Abdul Illah al-Khatib, Jordan's foreign minister.

Regarding the reasons for delaying the fourfold meeting that was to be held in Cairo, Moussa said, "Israel saw that it is better to deal with a fourfold meeting on the experts level."

Moussa added, "Egypt will not attend a Middle East summit called for by Norway early next month" called by Norway at the beginning of coming month that will be attended by US President Bill Clinton, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. "We have appologized for not attending this meeting," he said.