Working from within
A shuttle visit to the Gulf brought Cairo and leading Arab capitals up to speed on the latest developments in the region
On the last leg of a two-stop tour in the Gulf, President Hosni Mubarak met with Saudi Arabia's King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah on Tuesday, writes Nevine Khalil . Mubarak arrived in Riyadh from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after meeting with President Sheikh Zayed Al- Nahyan on Monday. Mubarak discussed with the Saudi leaders the humanitarian situations in Iraq, the Palestinian territories as well as ways to boost inter-Arab cooperation through a reformed Arab League. The leaders of both countries also took a comprehensive look at the dynamics of the world stage and how it affects Arab interests.
In the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Mubarak and Sheikh Zayed stressed the need to accelerate constitutional measures in Iraq and enable its people to elect a government in place of the US- appointed Interim Governing Council. They also called for a UN role in reconstructing Iraq and maintaining its unity.
On the Palestinian front, Mubarak and Sheikh Zayed urged the diplomatic Quartet -- comprising the US, EU, Russia and the UN -- to revive the peace process and encourage Israel to end its violations of Palestinian rights. The two leaders believe that the implementation of the roadmap is the best way to obtain peace and the creation of a Palestinian state by the year 2005. Before heading to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Mubarak held talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who is also the deputy chairman of the Armed Forces.
Mubarak's chief political adviser Osama El-Baz said that the priority in Iraq now "is to diminish the military presence as much as possible so that the Iraqi people can exercise sovereignty over their land". The US is seeking a UN resolution for countries to provide troops and cash for post- war Iraq, but speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday El-Baz indicated that it is unlikely that Arab troops will be sent into Iraq to keep the peace. "It all depends on circumstances and how receptive the Iraqi people will be to this idea." He was encouraged, however, by the US's plan to hold elections there within one year, calling it an "encouraging start". US Secretary of State Colin Powell proposed last week that Iraqis adopt a constitution within six months and hold elections in a little over a year. Powell made clear, however, that the US will not relinquish power until a democratically elected government has replaced the Interim Governing Council (IGC).
Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that it is important "to devise a timetable, whether six months, four months or one month". Speaking to reporters in New York, Maher added that it is significant that the concept is there, that the concept has been accepted, and they are working on it".
On the Palestinian issue, El- Baz said that Egypt will not be discouraged into withdrawing its efforts to bring peace in the region. "We are playing a main role by keeping Israeli fanaticism in check and helping the Palestinians deal with the complicated situation which has arisen as a result of the fence built by Israel," said El-Baz. "All this makes a final solution very difficult to achieve."
Maher, in the US for a multi- stop visit, sat with Powell on Monday to discuss the Palestinian and Iraqi issues. Meeting on the sidelines of the US- Arab Economic Forum in Detroit, Maher urged Powell "to be more firm with Israel with regard to its policies, which scuttle the peace efforts". Maher also wanted the US to "press both parties to honour their side of the bargain in the roadmap" and bring peace to the Middle East.
In both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Mubarak also held extensive talks with his counterparts on how to further the interests of the Arab bloc. El- Baz said that Egypt's initiative to reform the Arab League aims to "improve all aspects of joint Arab work and find an efficient mechanism to resolve inter- Arab differences". Egypt wants to activate Arab cooperation on many levels, including economic and political, as well as "working to present the correct image of Arabs and Muslims to the world," according to El- Baz. He added that Cairo is willing to integrate ideas from other Arab initiatives to reform the 22-member umbrella Arab body.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 2 - 8 October 2003 (Issue No. 658)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/658/eg1.htm