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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 June 2000 Issue No. 487 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 22 - 28 June 2000 Issue No. 487
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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President Mubarak during talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers
Egypt Region International Economy Focus Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Close-up on peace
By Nevine KhalilUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Cairo on Sunday on the third leg of a regional tour that includes Morocco, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel. Annan's discussions covered the Algerian-Moroccan Sahara dispute, the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the situation in the Middle East peace process.
The UN Secretary-General met with President Hosni Mubarak on Monday to discuss the peace process, Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, sanctions against Iraq and the truce agreement signed by Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Annan, speaking to reporters afterwards, affirmed that the UN will have the final word on verifying the scope of the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, and whether Israel has complied with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
"Verification of withdrawal and certification of withdrawal is the task of UN forces on the ground, and my decisions are based on reports they made and they have that responsibility," he noted.
While in Cairo, Annan spoke by telephone to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, urging him to show respect for Lebanon's international boundary. According to the UN Secretary-General, he and Barak discussed "the need for everybody to respect the line." Also on Monday, Mubarak spoke by telephone with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.
On Sunday, the UN certified that Israel's 24 May withdrawal from southern Lebanon was complete and in line with Security Council resolutions, despite objections by Beirut that Tel Aviv still occupied pockets inside Lebanon.
Annan believes that the disagreement over whether Israel has withdrawn completely will be short-lived. "I hope it's only a hiccup that will be resolved shortly," he said, adding that both sides have cooperated well with UN cartographers.
Annan added, however, that some encroachment had been noted as UN teams marked the border, and the teams "did require Israel to withdraw" from these areas. He continued that if Israeli troops "do cross the line, it is a violation that the peace-keepers will have to report to the Security Council and myself, and we will try to get the Israelis to pull back".
The 4,500-strong UN force in southern Lebanon will be beefed up to 5,600 next month, and Annan has asked for a furter increase to nearly 8,000.
On the African front, Annan said that UN forces should be deployed swiftly to bolster the ceasefire agreement, brokered by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and signed on Sunday by Ethiopia and Eritrea in Algiers. "We need to try and implement the agreement very quickly," he said, adding that the Security Council is yet to decide on a request for peace-keepers to maintain the lull following a two-year border war.
"The UN is being asked to send peace-keepers to the border area as well as demarcate the border," Annan said, alluding to the provisions of the signed peace deal. "I hope to get troops and that member-states are willing and prepared to give us the resources necessary for this task."
Annan also held lengthy talks with Foreign Minister Amr Moussa before heading for Lebanon, his next stop in the region. (see story, p.8)
Mubarak met with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Saturday for talks on the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli track of negotiations before the Palestinian leader headed home after meeting US President Bill Clinton in Washington. Arafat briefed Mubarak on his summit with Clinton, and the two Arab leaders discussed future prospects.
On Sunday, Mubarak met with Lawrence Summers, the US Secretary of the Treasury, to discuss bilateral cooperation and global economics. During the meeting, Summers congratulated Mubarak "on the profound changes that took place in the Egyptian economy over the past 10 years". He said that Egypt's economic reform "gave the potential for promising substantial opportunities in investment".
The US official expressed hope to see "greater cooperation" soon when Egypt adopts "more private sector-oriented banking". (see comment, p.6)
Summers arrived in Cairo at the beginning of an African tour, and also met with Minister of Economy Youssef Boutros Ghali, Foreign Minister Moussa and Finance Minister Medhat Hassanein.
