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Wednesday, Septemper 30, 1998
President Hosni Mubarak has reiterated the necessity of scuttling all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, warning against the gravity of Israel's possession of nuclear weapons. President Mubarak made the statements in the second part of an interview with "Al Ahram" newspaper, the first part of which was published yesterday. "The Israeli possession of such weapons may leave other countries in the region with no option but to reply in kind and have the same arms," he told the mass circulation daily. "And here lies the danger, since if any party goes to the extremes and use such arms, the fallout will afflict the whole region," he argued. The president called for re-channelling the money spent on such weapons into other spheres of avail to poor countries. In the interview, President Mubarak reiterated his warning against the terrorist groups who have so many branches in the US. "Washington did not believe that there are terrorists inside its territories and looked complacent with the idea of being remote from the claws of terrorism," he explained. "They looked confident that terrorist operations are only confined to Egypt and Algeria and that terrorism is an Arab creation with which they have no relations," added Mubarak. "Now terrorism has mushroomed every where in the world even in Tanzania and Kenya," he noted. "I" have been hammering away at the phenomenon of terrorism over 7 or 8 years now and the primary reaction was a kind of leniency and a sort of "it is not so dangerous," said President Hosni Mubarak. "They stuck to their stances until terrorism appeared in the US, Britain and France," he reminded. Mubarak said he called from the very beginning for convening an international conference on terrorism. "I stressed that the event must be of a global nature, taking in mind the British harbour most of world terrorists," he said. "And I warned that Britain would pay dearly for this and that terrorists would turn against it, something which has already taken place," noted Mubarak. The world has started only now to respond to the idea of holding an international conference on terrorism, when its menace started to face various countries, said Mubarak, recalling the recent bombings of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. "We have been crying in the wilderness since 1991, saying the topic is grave and terrorism is an international phenomenon, but they were only retorting that Mubarak is only concerned by this matter because his country suffers terrorism and poverty," the President continued to say. "But when it stung them, they started to wake up" he added. Mubarak stressed the necessity of international concurrence on this conference, adding that it is already late and more delay would make world countries pay dearly. "Chaos would prevail over the whole world, specially with the advent of globalization and the application of GATT, which will render the rich richer and the poor poorer and subsequently terrorism will put on a very ugly face," warned Mubarak. He categorically rejected a unilateral anti-terrorism action by any country in the world. Mubarak reiterated Egypt's sympathy with Sudan, remarking that the condition of the helpless Sudanese people is something pitiful. "Egypt's sympathy with the Sudanese people dictates a set of decisions and stances on our part toward this people but not toward the regime of Sudan, "he emphasised. "There are from 4 to 5 million Sudanese nationals living in Egypt and our emotional inclinations towards them prevent us from taking any move against them," said Mubarak. "This does not mean we are sympathising with the elusive Sudanese regime," said Mubarak. "This regime claims they want to have the best relations with Egypt and when Egypt asks them to return the Egyptian property in Sudan, they say the matter requires years to settle," added Mubarak. "When we told the Sudanese regime years ago that they shelter terrorists at some 17 hideouts, they urged us to come and see ourselves. We then told them that they have farmlands accommodating farmers, among whom terrorists hide themselves," recalled Mubarak. Rebuffing the Sudanese allegations, Mubarak explained "it is very possible to invite anybody to look for any terrorist in Egypt and then I hide this terrorist at any place so that no one can reach him. A serious and responsible State must be very well aware of ongoings on its lands and within the borders of its sovereign territories and should not invite external parties to look for individuals on its lands, said President Hosni Mubarak in his interview with the Chief Editor of Al Ahram. He said his decision to dispatch humanitarian aid to Sudan was prompted by sympathy with the Sudanese people in their struggle against floods. On the factory US missiles shelled in August, Mubarak said "we know it is a pharmaceuticals factory but, in fact, it can manufacture materials conducive to producing chemical weapons. The President said that the Americans had been monitoring this plant for some time and that there is a chemical factory near the bombarded plant. Mubarak showed understanding for Libya's cancellation of the Libyan Arab Unity Ministry, its decision to head Africa-wise, and its threat to withdraw from the Arab league unless the latter breaks the UN-imposed air embargo. On the Egyptian role in settling African disputes, President Mubarak said that Egyptian peace-keeping task forces are now deployed in many places in Africa. "We do our utmost to limit these disputes and do not hesitate to mediate in mitigating them whenever we are invited by the belligerents," elaborated Mubarak. Recalling the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict, Mubarak said "both countries are friends of Egypt and we told them we are ready for mediation when they agree to accept it". On the absence of the Egyptian role in other dangerous African disputes, Mubarak said this is due to completely different calculations. On the peace process, Mubarak said the Israelis do not want to return rights to their owners and refuse to let peace prevail. "It seems that the Israelis want to live on the logic of war which is absolutely unacceptable and does not conform with the interest of the people of the region, including the Israeli people themselves," said Mubarak. Responding to a question on the Israeli allegations that Egypt instigates Palestinians to hold on to their "hard-line" position and refuses to lubricate their stance, Mubarak said it is the Israeli stance which rather needs to be lubricated, for the Palestinians are helpless. The Israelis have the land and everything in their hands. what can "I" do with the Palestinians, who have nothing at all, so that their stance can be lenient.? "We" must be logical, wondered Mubarak. Do they (Israelis) want me to pressure the Palestinians in order to give more concessions? I do not have the authority to ask Arafat to concede," Mubarak contented. "The Palestinian leaders have their decision at their hands," said Mubarak while expressing surprise at Netanyahu's remarks few days ago where he termed Egypt's stance as being passive. "Does Netanyahu want me to pressure the Palestinians for his own interest and urge them to accept what they reject " wondered Mubarak. "This is not an Egyptian land. He seems to be ignorant of the fact that I do not have even the authority to decide on any part of Egypt simply because it is the land of all the Egyptian people," added Mubarak. "Any decision related to the land requires a referendum on whether the people would accept relinquishing any part of it or not," said Mubarak. "We have restored our land by war, negotiations and arbitration and they come now to ask me to press the Palestinians to give up their land ?" wondered Mubarak. Mubarak said the proposed Franco-Egyptian initiative to convene an international conference on peace in the Middle East is no more than an auxiliary to the US initiative. "When the Palestinian and Israeli parties reach a cul-dé-sac, there must be a different way to deal with the issue," he added. On an Arab summit, Mubarak said when the Palestinians ask for it they will certainly get it. "If they want it the Arab public opinion will support it and Arab leaders will not then drive against it," said Mubarak, noting that almost all Arab countries embrace the same concept. He referred to Saudi-Syrian-Moroccan endeavours to convene the summit to look into the logjam created by Israel. "When both parties reach a deadlock, the summit agenda will be immediately reviewed together with the results that will come out so that no differences would emerge," noted Mubarak. On the repercussions of the moral scandal in which US President Bill Clinton is entangled, President Mubarak said the issue hampers the US role in the peace process and cripples Washington from taking any action towards Israel. He regretted the US being busy with the scandal of the President at a time the major power has more important commitments on the international arena. "How come that such an issue occupies the top interest in this great nation," asked Mubarak, noting that it is certainly unreasonable to have all things halted because America is preoccupied with this topic. Mubarak resented public disclosure of the embarrassing details of the scandal, noting that it ravages all moral values and that it looks as if someone wants to teach our youth these vices. Asked whether there are concrete steps towards establishing a free common Arab market, Mubarak said Egypt has already embarked on setting up free trade zones with some Arab countries, including Tunisia and Morocco. He said this way the larger market will finally be created. He emphasised that such a market is an imperative demand and that its idea has been there even before the establishment of the European common market. Mubarak rang the bells of alarm on any Arab setback on the issue of a common market, noting that it will render them a significant power to be reckoned with like Europe now. Mubarak warned the international community against playing the deaf to the economic debacle in Russia. "If the community declines to help Russia it will likely transform into a dictatorship that would go fumbling for the nuclear and economic potential of the country," said Mubarak. He warned against any attempts of bargaining over Russia's nuclear capabilities. |
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