Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks yesterday, just before his trip to the United States, with CIA Director George Tenet and Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam. During the meeting, President Mubarak conveyed a message from President Bashar Al-Assad. Additionally, Mubarak met with a delegation from the Israeli Policy Forum led by Marvin Leander.
Following these meetings, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher informed reporters in Cairo that Abdel Halim Khaddam had delivered a message from Assad to Mubarak regarding the Middle East situation and Syria’s emphasis on the significance of Mubarak’s visit to Washington. Mubarak, in response, sent a letter to the Syrian President reiterating Egypt’s well-established stance towards Syria and Arab affairs.
Maher clarified that Khaddam’s visit to Egypt falls within the framework of ongoing consultations between the two presidents, as a natural aspect of the bilateral relations between the two countries. Maher emphasized the consensus in the shared desire to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region, while also acknowledging the requisites for peace.
Regarding recent reports suggesting the existence of an Egyptian plan that President Mubarak would present to President Bush concerning the declaration of the establishment of a Palestinian state in 2003, Maher stated, “I have come across these reports just like you, and Egypt’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is widely known. Our position on all aspects of the Palestinian settlement is also well known. There is no new development, and we do not tolerate any attempts to discuss matters outside the issues that Egypt has previously announced, as well as the positions articulated by President Mubarak before.”
