In statements to Akhbar EI-Yom's Editor-in-Chief Momtaz Al-Qot, published in the weekly newspaper Saturday July 27, President Mubarak said that contact channels between Egypt and Israel are directed to the service of Arab interests in the first place and aim at bringing closer viewpoints.

Answering a question on calls for dismissing the Israeli ambassador and canalling the Camp David peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in response to the heinous Israeli attacks on the Lebanese and the Palestinians, President Mubarak said dismissing the Israeli ambassador would not by any means serve the situation.

The President noted that emotions and immediate reactions should be governed by logic.

Concerning the escalating situation in Lebanon, the President said that Egypt's constant contacts with Israelis in this regard aim at serving the Arab interests in the first place.
President Mubarak also noted that Egypt offered immediate humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese as soon as the crisis erupted.

The President noted that Egypt was the first to call for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, as those who were paying the price were innocent Lebanese civilians.

Mubarak said diplomatic channels will always remain optimal means for solving conflicts.
The President said not only the Lebanese but also Israel will sustain great losses due to ongoing military operations that mainly target civilians.

Egyptian contacts with US administration, EU, Russia and the UN are still ongoing, said the President, adding that the international community should believe that the military escalation is a major setback for all efforts aimed to achieve regional stability.

On suspicion cast by some on the Egyptian army's position towards Israel's flagrant aggression on Lebanon and the Palestinian occupied territories, Mubarak said that Egypt has surpassed the stage of proving its national role in defending the Arab nations' security and interests.

Addressing those who asked about Egypt's role in this regard, Mubarak said: "Any attempt to drag Egypt into an irrational and illogical conflict is unacceptable".

Egypt has a strong army to protect its lands and sovereignty, said Mubarak, adding that Egyptians are for peace and would adhere to it.

Replying to a question on the impact of developments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories on the Middle East peace views Mubarak said what is taking place underlined the necessity of achieving comprehensive and just peace in the region, saying the international community should rethink their perspective on peace and on means of pushing ahead the peace process on all tracks.

The President went on to say that the situation was complicated and any truce or halt of military escalation should be linked to the two sides' commitment to a return to the negotiating table.

Despite the quick escalation of violence president Mubarak still sees a ray of hope. It only requires some working of the minds, he said.

Those who feed the feelings of animosity will lose at the end, Mubarak added.

The President has warned once again of the unfavorable consequences of the ongoing military escalation.

He added that destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories would not be the only loss. The psychological impact will be the greater loss, Mubarak said.

Ongoing operations would shake the belief in peace, he said.

According to the President, there is a need to develop people's awareness of peace. Wars throughout history did not benefit any party, Mubarak said.

President Mubarak said it was high time the world community asks to set up a new mechanism for peace in the Mideast that would involve all tracks.

He said his contacts with brethren in Syria confirm that they want peace and that were committed to all international resolution.

President Mubarak said that all files should be frankly addressed because the over spilling of violence means a grave loss not only to the region but to the world which will also pay a high price.

The president referred to certain powers trying to intensify the conflict to serve their interests.
He also said the language of threats and speeches are useless.

Mubarak noted that an immediate ceasefire was a unanimous world demand.
The President highlighted that all peoples hated wars for they were the ones who pay the price.

The international community, the US and the UN are required to address the peace file on all tracks more rapidly than at any time before, President Mubarak said.

Asked about a call for an emergency Arab summit and for an international conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on the latest Middle East developments, President Mubarak said holding Arab summits or international conferences is not the target; what really matters is the agenda of any such gathering.

Egypt is always ready to host any gathering on Lebanon, but what would come out of such a gathering is more important, Mubarak reiterated "we do not need meetings or conferences with no effective and unanimous resolutions."

Egypt has maintained contacts with all the parties concerned with the aim of containing the volatile situation in Lebanon, he added.

Mubarak said he contacted heads of state and government of the US, France, Germany and other European leaders, in addition to the UN Secretary General.

Egypt's clear-cut stance in all contacts was for an immediate ceasefire, to be followed by negotiations with full support from the international community.

In reply to a question on the Arab response to a call for holding consultative Arab summits, the President said the response became a reality as he recently held several summits with Arab leaders, noting that three-way of four-way summits would be held to serve joint interests and Arab interests in general.

As for relations between Egypt and Hezbollah, Mubarak said Egypt always sticks to its principles.

Our relations are always with countries, not groups inside countries, he added, affirming that Egypt deals with Lebanon as a whole.

Egyptian relations with all Lebanese are good and Cairo is keen on preserving the sovereignty and integrity of Lebanon, Mubarak said.

We are eager to help achieve reconciliation among all Lebanese sects to serve the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon.