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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Book Fair Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Talking globally
By Nevine KhalilGlobal economic issues topped President Hosni Mubarak's agenda as he arrived on Friday at the ski resort of Davos to attend the World Economic Forum. In a speech delivered on Sunday, Mubarak said the developing world has a "bitter sentiment of injustice, a sense that there must be something wrong with a system that wipes out years of hard-won development because of changes in market sentiment."
Mubarak told his audience of political and economic world leaders that whatever the reasons behind the current global economic crisis, the result is that "there are more people today who suffer from poverty than two years ago. And in the months ahead, many more will appear to be at risk," he said. "The main ingredient missing from the new global system is true dialogue" between the rich and poor countries, he added.
Mubarak said that the "financial architecture of the global economy is essential for the future of this planet, but it is not directly essential for half of its population. It will address two thirds of the world's output but ignore two thirds of the world's population."
Mubarak added: "In the century to come we must all share, because only then will we have built a better world for our people."
Mubarak talking to representatives of the media at Davos, while (below) members of the Egyptian delegation to the forum sit in the front row
On the sidelines of the summit, Mubarak met with a number of leading figures, including Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Russian Premier Yevgeny Primakov, US Vice-President Al Gore, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.
On his way to the Swiss ski resort on Friday, Mubarak stopped over in Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart Suleiman Demirel. The two leaders discussed the Iraqi crisis, Egypt's recent mediation efforts between Turkey and Syria and the peace process.
Leaving Davos on Monday, the president travelled to France before heading home on Tuesday. Mubarak and French President Jacques Chirac discussed the stalled peace talks, the Iraqi crisis, Libya's Lockerbie problem and ways of resolving ongoing African conflicts. During talks, Chirac reaffirmed his country's support for the creation of a Palestinian sovereign state, and detailed France's initiative to defuse the Iraqi crisis with the UN.
Mubarak and Chirac in Paris on Tuesday
Paris proposed that a monitoring mechanism, rather than an inspection team, supervise the dismantling of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The monitoring body would include Arab, European and American experts, according to the French proposal.
After meeting with Chirac, Mubarak voiced the sentiments of most Arab circles which are against foreign intervention against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Mubarak urged foreign governments to stay out of Iraqi affairs, calling the fate of Saddam an "Iraqi problem". In contrast with current US policy of supporting and financing Iraqi opposition forces in order to topple Saddam, Mubarak said: "We will not interfere in internal Iraqi affairs."
In Davos, Mubarak urged Saddam to work with the UN Security Council. "He should comply. He has no other way," Mubarak said. In Paris, Mubarak said that he and Chirac "are in agreement regarding what should happen in Iraq". Chirac told reporters that Paris and Cairo see eye to eye "in all areas, particularly concerning the Middle East and Europe. France and Egypt have exactly the same positions", he said.
The two leaders agreed that the Franco-Egyptian proposal for an international conference to save the stalled peace process was still on the table. "When the moment comes we can use it to support US initiatives," Mubarak said of last May's proposal. The two men also agreed that implementing signed agreements could improve the record of peace-making in the region, and encourage progress on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks.
Earlier in the week, Mubarak said that Arafat should postpone the declaration of a Palestinian state until after 4 May. "I hope they can delay the [proclamation] for some time," he said, in order to avoid extremists creating problems.
