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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 Apr. - 5 May 1999 Issue No. 427 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 Apr. - 5 May 1999 Issue No. 427
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Focus Special Travel Sports People Features Living Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters In pursuit of peace
By Nevine Khalil
Cairo and Moscow are in agreement that a peaceful settlement is the only means of resolving the conflict in the Balkans, both expressing dissatisfaction with the marginalisation of the UN Security Council in dealing with the crisis. The two capitals also saw eye to eye on the Palestinians' right to statehood, emphasising that the question of whether to declare a state on 4 May was a matter for the Palestinians themselves to decide.
During a meeting on Saturday between President Hosni Mubarak and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, the visitor conveyed a written message from Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
Mubarak and Ivanov discussed the "deteriorating conditions" in a number of hotspots around the world, including the Balkans, the Middle East and Iraq, the Russian envoy told reporters. "We are very concerned," Ivanov said, noting that his visit came at "a critical time" in international relations.
Ivanov arrived in Cairo on the third leg of a regional tour that took him to Israel and the Palestinian self-rule territories. He later left for Syria, the last stop on his tour.
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa told reporters that "we all support the general initiative and ideas" proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for resolving the Kosovo crisis. "We all favour a political solution, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Moussa said, "But we also urge respect for the rights of peoples and reject the policy of ethnic cleansing and the violation of the Kosovars' basic rights."
Ivanov said that Russia will not respect an oil embargo slapped against Yugoslavia by NATO and the European Union. "NATO decisions are binding only on the members of this alliance," he said, adding that his country only recognises sanctions and boycotts imposed by the UN Security Council. "The guideline in our relations with other countries is international law, not NATO directives."
Moussa asserted that the Security Council "should be the main authority" in deciding the procedures of dealing with the violations of international law and the rights of the Kosovars. "Unfortunately, the Security Council has been marginalised," he said, "and we believe that this situation must come to an immediate end." This, the foreign minister explained, can be achieved through the acceptance by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic of "political solutions," especially Annan's initiative. Moussa emphasised that the Kosovar refugees should be allowed to return to their homeland "securely and within the framework of an acceptable settlement that conforms to reason and international law."
Ivanov, who was "very satisfied" with the outcome of his talks in Cairo, briefed Mubarak on Russian efforts to reach a "breakthrough in the Balkans and relaunch the negotiation process." He expressed confidence that a breakthrough could be made, declaring that a political solution was possible. "Russia has made maximum efforts with the concerned parties to reach a peaceful settlement," he said.
In the same breath, Ivanov affirmed that "since the beginning of the crisis, [we] have said that we will not allow ourselves to be dragged into the crisis militarily. We insist on a political solution [which] will benefit all involved, including NATO." Russia, he said, maintains continuous consultations with all NATO members, and "we have their assurances that a final solution can only be reached through a political settlement of this crisis." Ivanov warned against the use of ground troops in the conflict, saying that this will cause the crisis to escalate. "Those who might make such a decision should take full responsibility. We hope this does not happen," the Russian minister said.
Ivanov also briefed Mubarak on his meetings with the Israeli leadership and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, with whom he discussed the declaration of a Palestinian state. He said that Russia's position is "steadfast regarding the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and statehood." He noted that the Palestinians already have an embassy in Moscow and that Russia had recognised the declaration of Palestinian independence made in 1988.
Moussa said that the two countries share "similar" positions on the peace process and the problems it is facing. Both Egypt and Russia support the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood and agree that the declaration of a Palestinian state on 4 May is a decision to be made by the Palestinians. Both countries believe, however, that postponing the declaration is the wiser choice. Ivanov argued that the declaration "should not obstruct the continuation of the negotiation process," but quickly added: "I repeat once again, the decision is left to the Palestinian leadership."
Moussa expressed a similar view. He added that peacemaking requires a "real effort" on the part of all parties and that any new proposals to revive the peace process "should be made following the Israeli elections."
Moussa also said that Egypt has the right to upgrade its defence capability in response to Israel's "advanced, dangerous and intensive armaments."
On bilateral issues, Mubarak's directives were that all agreements signed with Russia should be implemented as soon as possible, that bilateral relations be strengthened and cooperation in all fields promoted. Ivanov said that consultations and coordination between the two countries will continue within the framework of the joint Russo-Egyptian declaration signed during Mubarak's visit to Moscow in 1997.
