Walking a tight rope
Egypt's leadership stated in no uncertain terms that the war on Iraq is beyond its control. Nevine Khalil reports
In a move to appease the masses and lay the bare facts in front of the people, President Hosni Mubarak made an elaborate speech on Monday to exonerate and explain the government's actions regarding the war in Iraq. Meeting with officers from the 3rd Field Army during a visit to the northeastern city of Suez, Mubarak dedicated a large part of his speech to address a number of points that Egyptian protestors raised during large- scale anti-war demonstrations over the past few weeks.
Although the president did not discuss calls to expel the ambassadors of the US and Israel from Egypt, he did, however, clarify that Egypt cannot shut down the strategic Suez Canal or prohibit the passage of coalition war ships on their way to do battle with Iraq.
On Sunday, three more US warships crossed the Suez Canal on their way to the Gulf -- the USS Anzio, a guided missile cruiser, the Cape St George, a guided missile destroyer, and the USS Mitscher, an advanced Aegis-type destroyer. A day earlier, four US warships and two attack submarines passed through into the Mediterranean, where a naval task force is deployed and engaged in launching air strikes in Iraq.
Mubarak relayed in detail -- and at times directly quoting from -- the international agreements regulating the operation of the strategic waterway since it was opened in 1869. According to international law, Egypt has the right to close the canal when it is in a state of war, in which case only ships from belligerent nations can be denied access through the 162-km waterway.
"The right of passage through the Suez Canal is guaranteed to [vessels] from all countries, unless Egypt is at war with them. That is the only instance when Egypt has the right to prevent their passage. We cannot play around with this or we'll get ourselves into trouble," Mubarak said. "The canal must remain neutral in any conflict; it cannot be attacked, manipulated or its navigation obstructed under any other circumstances. Egypt can only take measures there to defend itself [against attack]." He added that Egypt is committed to the "obligations, in letter and spirit, of the agreement".
Acknowledging that the war on Iraq has "raised many questions in the minds of the masses, especially those in the Middle East", Mubarak listed a few, such as "the credibility of the international system of collective security represented by the UN; the ability of the Arabs to create a strong system of collective security among themselves; and the feasibility of trying to achieve a minimal level of consensus among the Arabs built on mutual trust". This would help in the effective management of challenges facing the Arab bloc, such as "outsiders controlling our destiny, redesigning our future, altering the geography of our region and imposing on us new balances of power".
Mubarak agreed that "these are valid issues that we must address to create an effective mechanism to transfer our conceptualisations into a reality." But with that in mind, Egypt can never lose sight of its most important priority: "Protecting the home front from the repercussions of this war." Egypt needs to protect itself from the negative effects, especially the economic repercussions, of the war; "raise high the banner of Egyptian national security" in all circumstances; and, "despite the pain we are feeling for the Iraqi people, express ourselves in an orderly, civilised fashion."
Mubarak also briefly touched upon the subject of tensions between Cairo and Damascus as a result of Syrian demonstrators chanting fierce anti- Egyptian government slogans while protesting the war. "Relations between Egypt and Syria are solid and strategic," he said reassuringly. "Sometimes minor altercations will happen among brothers, but they are insignificant. The image of our [bond] should not be shaken in the eyes of the Egyptian and Arab citizen as a result of this."
Mubarak also said that Egypt and other countries tried hard to prevent the war, that military confrontation should never have been an option and that the standoff should have been resolved peacefully. But "the US and Britain pushed ahead towards military operations," he said. "Egypt's position was, and still is, in opposition to this war and it will not take any part in military operations against brotherly Iraq."
Cairo's efforts to prevent the war, continued Mubarak, focussed on influencing the US-led war coalition to change its mind by highlighting the dangers and repercussions of military operations. However, he said, the situation deteriorated into a "full scale confrontation between coalition forces aiming to change the regime in Iraq and the Iraqi Armed Forces, who are defending their country and Iraq's honour". Mubarak cautioned that if a peaceful resolution is not reached soon, "this confrontation will destroy an ancient civilisation, and the great people [of Iraq]." He pledged that Egypt, in coordination with other effective nations, will continue its efforts on the political arena to limit the damages of this war and, on the humanitarian level, will assist in alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi people.
Mubarak said that the war has serious repercussions for "Arab national security, as well as on international peace and security and the effectiveness of the UN role". Surveying the damage the war will cause, Mubarak stressed that "the tensions on the international and regional arenas will have dire political, economic and social effects, which will be difficult to deal with in the short term." He cautioned that the war will spawn "one hundred more Bin Ladens", in reference to Al- Qa'eda's Saudi billionaire leader, Osama bin Laden. "When this war is over, if it's over, it will result in horrendous and immense consequences," Mubarak stressed. "Terrorism will rise and it will never be safe again."
In his address, Mubarak also discussed in detail the current juncture of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, calling it a "chronic and painful" issue, where violence has escalated on both sides since the war on Iraq began. He said that the roadmap being promoted by the diplomatic Quartet -- the US, the EU, Russia and the UN -- requires a mechanism for implementation, otherwise it will remain as "ink on paper".
Mubarak had urged British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a telephone conversation last week, shortly before the premier met with US President George Bush, to "move ahead" with the roadmap to "imbue a sense that a solution is possible". Mubarak believes that if the "superpowers do not agree to put in place a mechanism to implement the roadmap as it stands, without any alterations, then the map will not lead to the right road and aggressions will continue". Blair assured Mubarak that he remains "committed" to peace in the region and will address this in his talks with Bush. "Upon his return, I was informed that the roadmap will be implemented after the war on Iraq is over," said Mubarak, reminding that "the Middle East will never be stable as long as [the Palestinian] issue is unresolved and the violence continues."
