- Title: EGYPT: PRESIDENT MUBARAK CALLS FOR SUMMIT TO DISCUSS ARAB-ISRAELI CLASHES.
- Date: 2nd October 2000
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (OCTOBER 2, 2000) (REUTERS) GV: EXTERIOR OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE GV/MCU/PAN: VARIOUS OF EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK AND SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD IN INFORMAL TALKS (MUTE) (3 SHOTS) GV: PHOTOGRAPHERS ENTERING ROOM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE GV: MUBARAK AND AL-ASSAD ON PLATFORM MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (ARABIC) MUBARAK SAYING "I see in this way that the peace process has become more complicated and if they do not take care of the issue of Jerusalem, a just solution that will bring peace, the problem will not stop at all. I call for an Arab summit to convene at the soonest time possible so that the Arab countries can review its position. If not we will be scattered". GV: CUTAWAY MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) MUBARAK SAYING "What happened is something not normal. What happened between the Israelis and Palestinians is not a normal thing. I think what Sharon (Ariel Sharon) did, he created a hell of problems for the peace process maybe for personal or other reasons but it's not right" GV: CUTAWAY MV: (SOUNDBITE) (ARABIC) SYRIAN PRESIDENT AL-ASSAD SAYING "From the indications that we have seen and we are seeing and what happened in Jerusalem in the past three days we cannot separate what happened in Jerusalem and what will happen with Golan. "All the indications and the Israeli policy since 1991 until today there is real hesitation and camouflage to what happened in front of the world. "The given facts are not clear except from the Syrian/Lebanese side and the European and American sponsors. It needs all three sides to go ahead for peace to happen. The Americans are clear, we are clear, it is up to the Israelis". CU: REPORTER TAKING NOTES GV: MUBARAK AND AL-ASSAD LEAVE
- Embargoed: 17th October 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: General,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA3UMRIX1S7KU5TC6V0XSTOVS1M
- Story Text: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has called for an
Arab summit to be convened as soon as possible to discuss the
Arab-Israeli conflict after at least 30 people were killed in
five days of bloody Israeli-Palestinian clashes.
He was speaking at a joint news conference with Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad who's on his first visit abroad
since taking office in succession to his late father in July.
Both Presidents agree the Middle East peace process is
in crisis. Egypt's Hosni Mubarak called for an Arab summit so
the Arab countries could "review their position" with regard
to the peace talks.
Otherwise he warned "we will be scattered".
The last Arab summit was held in Cairo in 1996 to discuss
the future of the Arab-Israeli peace talks, but Iraq -- which
invaded Kuwait in 1990 -- was not invited. Efforts to set up
subsequent summits floundered on the opposition of some Arab
states, mainly Kuwait, which do not want Iraq to attend.
Last week Syria renewed a call to hold an Arab summit
including Iraq. Damascus wants an Arab summit sooner rather
than later to bolster its position in the stalled peace talks
with Israel. Some analysts have said Egypt could be wary of
rushing into a gathering which may only highlight Arab
divisions.
At a joint news conference with Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad, Mubarak also laid the blame for the current violence
firmly at the door of Ariel Sharon, the right-wing Israeli
opposition leader, who angered Palestinians when he visited a
holy site in Jerusalem last Thursday.
Mubarak said Sharon had created "a hell of problems" for
the peace process. Whether that was for personal or other
reasons, it wasn't right, he said.
Al-Assad said Israel had to decide whether it wanted
peace. The Americans and Europeans were clear what needed to
happen, the Syrians and the Lebanese were also clear, but it
was now up to the Israelis. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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