Moussa: Holding ME Economic Conference hinges on peace progress

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa affirmed that holding the Economic Conference for the Middle East in Cairo hinges on the peace progress.

He expounded that the progress of the Middle East peace process serves all other fields. This came in a joint press conference Moussa held with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad Bin Jaber in Doha. Moussa said that the coming visit by US Secretary of State Madeline Albright is important as it deals with themes that obstruct the ME peace process. He explained that the US, the key sponsor of the peace process, has to intervene to save such process, stressing that settlements destroy peace.

Speaking to reports following the conclusion of the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Committee, Moussa emphasized that Egypt will never surrender its role on the issue of Sudan. He, however, described the problem in Sudan as serious, expounding that there are conflicting interests between the north and the south. Moussa underscored the necessity of realizing a comprehensive reconciliation in participation of the Sudanese people.