Wednesday, October 02, 1996

Statements by President Mubarak, in Aswan



"US President Bill Clinton is the key to peace in the Middle East", President Hosni Mubarak said today.

In statements to the press following the opening of a two-way project of the Luxor-Aswan railroad, President Mubarak affirmed the importance of stability in the Middle East which is vital to Israel and the region as a whole.

Asked whether Clinton would exercise pressure on Israel to abide by the peace process, President Mubarak said the issue was not a matter of pressure but to maintain peace in the region, which is extremely important to all parties. One cannot predict what Clinton will do with the Israelis, He added.

President Mubarak, when asked how President Clinton received the news of his non participation in the Washington summit, said I think he understood the Egyptian position very well.

We have good contacts with the American side and our relationship is a very good one, he added.

President Mubarak said that he and US President Bill Clinton held a 22-minute telephone call when he informed him he would not attend the summit.

He expressed hope that the Washington summit, would yield positive results.

I hope President Clinton can realize success in his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he added.

However, President Mubarak added that when he received Netanyahu in Cairo, the talks went well, but the Israeli Prime Minister did not do anything until now.

Responding to a question on the positive public reaction to President Mubarak's statements on the Washington summit, the Egyptian President said: I do not make statements on going somewhere or doing something just because an idea has come to my mind .. no .. I have advisors whom I consult.When convinced, I make the decision, he added.

Everything we do is in the interest of the people and the nation's dignity, he said. We want the region stable, free of wars and we seek development, he added . The whole world now does not search for wars but development, he said.

Wars put an end to development and kill people, that is why we are determined to establish peace.
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