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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 April 1999 Issue No. 426 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 April 1999 Issue No. 426
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Special Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters State talks
PRESIDENT Hosni Mubarak held talks yesterday with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat concerning the date on which a Palestinian state would be declared in the light of Arafat's current opinion-sounding international tour. The two leaders held a one-hour, one-to-one meeting and were later joined by members of their delegations, reports Nevine Khalil.Foreign Minister Amr Moussa told reporters that Egypt supported Palestinian statehood "because the peace process cannot be complete or convincing unless it results in a Palestinian state in the real sense of the word, and not the hollow sense proposed by some Israelis."
Concerning the timing of the proclamation of the state Moussa said, "Egypt will support any decision taken by the Palestinians" who are expected to decide on the issue when the Palestinian leadership meets next week. He added that Egypt will support the Palestinian position whether there is a declaration on 4 May or if they choose another date.
Moussa said Egypt preferred the term 'another date' rather than 'delay'. Distinctions should be made, Moussa stressed, "between the right to declare a state and the date of declaring it, which is a tactical matter taking into consideration the conditions and circumstances determining the Palestinian leadership's decision."
Moussa confirmed that Israeli President Ezer Weizman was expected to visit Egypt today. Talks between Mubarak and Weizman are expected to deal with the Middle East peace process. "No doubt their talks will be beneficial in reviewing various Israeli positions on a number of issues at a critical time in Israeli political circles," Moussa said. "Weizman's positions in support of the peace process," Moussa said, "are clear to us and so is his position against placing hurdles on the road to peace."
