Egypt sees angry U.S. angering Middle East

Egypt sees angry U.S. angering Middle East

Reuters
Date: 12-15-04

By Jonathan Wright

CAIRO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Egypt sees an angry United States provoking more anger -- and adding to instability -- in the Middle East, and thinks its own role is to try to calm everyone down, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Wednesday.

The United States could solve half its problems with "terrorism" if it brought about a just settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the minister said, speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt.

Egypt has resumed its traditional mediating role between Israel and the Palestinians, trying to take advantage of a change in the Palestinian leadership after the death last month of President Yasser Arafat.

But Aboul Gheit said only the United States, Egypt's close partner in Middle East diplomacy for the past 25 years, could make a peace settlement happen.

In an implicit criticism of U.S. policy for the four years of U.S. President George W. Bush's first term, he said he was confident that policy changes would now make amends.

"We feel of course that America is angry, especially after 9/11 (September 2001). But while America is angry, America is creating also anger with lots of others," Aboul Gheit said.

"The anger that is emanating also from others would threaten stability in this part of the world ... (So) we have to keep working on defusing that anger and defusing the building up of tensions," the minister added.

CHANGING POSITIONS

Aboul Gheit said Egypt and the United States differed most often on how to deal with the Palestinians, but the Americans were willing to listen. "They are just. We can work with them" he said.

Asked about his expectations for President Bush's next four years in office, he said: "My expectations are very positive, because the last four years were difficult."

"The usual thing is that, as people recognise the difficulty of the situation they find themselves in, they move from their fixed position to another position, so it would be hopefully good years," he added.

"If we settle the Palestinian problem in a just manner, then 50 percent of the problem (of terrorism) will just disappear. And there America's role is paramount. It is crucial. Without America nothing would happen," he said.

The minister spoke optimistically about Cairo's latest contacts with the Israeli government, in which Egypt has concentrated on arrangements for Palestinian elections in January and for a future Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

"There might be a possibility to encourage both (Israelis and Palestinians) to a ceasefire (and) to initiate the negotiations anew," he added.

But he said he was not aware of a reported Palestinian proposal to hold an international peace conference in Cairo. The Arabic newspaper al-Hayat on Wednesday quoted Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as saying the Palestinians favoured the idea.

Source

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