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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 April 2000 Issue No. 478 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 April 2000 Issue No. 478
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Heritage Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters
Musharraf in Cairo
WHILE in Cairo on a four-day visit, Pakistan's military leader General Pervez Musharraf pledged that Pakistan would not be used as a base for exporting terrorism. "Pakistan condemns terrorism and will not allow the presence of any terrorist group on its territory," Musharraf told the press.During meetings with President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday and Sunday, the two leaders discussed trade, the Middle East peace process, Pakistan's dispute with neighbouring India, last week's G-77 summit in Havana, bilateral cooperation and security issues. In 1996, Cairo and Islamabad signed a security cooperation agreement a few months after a bomb exploded near the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, for which the Jihad militant group took responsibility. "We are trying to cooperate with Egypt in the fight against terrorism," Musharraf said. "We would like to draw on the experience of Egypt which has been able to stabilise the country and go on the path of economic progress."
Musharraf said he supports Mubarak's call for organising an international conference on terrorism, noting that Pakistan prefers "the adoption of a unanimous legal measure at the international level to prevent terrorism in all its forms."
Many Arabs who fought alongside Afghans against Soviet occupation in the 1980s reportedly continue to reside in Pakistan and Afghanistan, using both countries as bases to plot the overthrow of Arab governments and the establishment of theocratic states in their place.
The two leaders also discussed the status of Saudi dissident and suspected terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, who is believed to reside in Afghanistan.
Addressing a news conference, Musharraf called for a negotiated settlement between Washington and Kabul over the extradition of Bin Laden who is on the most-wanted terrorist list in the US.
Egypt was the latest stop in Musharraf's series of foreign trips, mainly to Muslim countries, aimed at gaining international legitimacy for his military regime which overthrew Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's civilian government in October last year.
While in Cairo, Musharraf also held talks with Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, several cabinet ministers and Egyptian businessmen to discuss bolstering trade and investment, as well as agricultural cooperation. During the visit, officials from both sides signed agreements to boost trade and promote and protect investments. Musharraf also discussed military cooperation but said that nuclear cooperation was not raised in his talks with Mubarak.
Before leaving Cairo, Musharraf was received by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Mohamed Sayed Tantawi.
