Int'l Community Working for Settlement of Mideast Crisis: Maher

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 02, 2002

Int'l Community Working for Settlement of Mideast Crisis: Maher

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Saturday that the international community has been making effort to find "a just and comprehensive solution" to the Mideast crisis.

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Saturday that the international community has been making effort to find "a just and comprehensive solution" to the Mideast crisis.

"The dangerous Mideast situation requires from all parties an immediate intervention aimed at finding a way out of the crisis," Maher said in an interview with Xinhua.

Maher said that the current situation resulted from a wrong policy pursued by the Israeli government, which believes that its policy can bring about security and stability.

Egypt warns that such an Israeli policy has a negative impact on the whole region, he said, adding that the international community is working to overcome the negative impact of the policy.

He said that Egypt assures all parties concerned of the fact that there will be no peace without the establishment of a Palestinian state and the regaining of the rights of the Palestinians.

Answering a question about some Israeli officials' claim that Arafat is not able to control the situation in the Palestinian lands, Maher said that "President Arafat does his best to control the situation, and he is carrying out a reform which the Palestinian people need, and we support him."

Maher said that Israel always blocks every effort Arafat is trying to make by destroying Palestinian infrastructure and invading Palestinian towns.

Arafat is the democratically elected leader of the Palestinians, and he knows what should be done, Maher said, adding that the international community should support him, if it wants to achieve peace in the Mideast region.

As for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's upcoming visit to the United States, Maher said that the trip, which is due to begin on June 5, comes at a sensitive and critical moment.

"The United States is evaluating its steps to be taken in the coming period," Maher said, adding that during his trip, Mubarak will inform U.S. President George W. Bush of the real situation in the Mideast region.

The two leaders will also discuss what should be done to find a solution to the crisis, Maher added.

"Mubarak will offer his vision and advice on how to deal with the Mideast issue, and also tell Bush the negative impact of Israel's aggressive policies on the whole region," Maher said.

"Mubarak will stress that Arab countries want a just and comprehensive peace with Israel based on U.N. resolutions 242 and 338 as well as the land-for-peace principle," he said.

During his U.S. trip, the second in three months, Mubarak will also meet with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

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