June  10, 2002

  Mubarak in an important interview with US Fox News Network

In an interview with Fox News aired yesterday, the President called on the US Secretary of State Colin Powell to visit the region as soon as possible to explore the ideas of the different parties before such a conference was convened.

He explained that US President George W. Bush has some positive ideas about this proposed conference, adding that Egypt was prepared to assist in promoting chances for peace given its role as a full-fledged partner in peace efforts from the start.

Mubarak said President Bush must tell Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during their meeting today that he (Sharon) should do more to achieve peace in the region and that violence was not likely to lead to any peaceful solution. He emphasised that President Arafat must be given an adequate opportunity before he is judged.

Asked about the US-led war on terrorism, Mubarak said Egypt and all Arab countries strongly opposed terror. He strongly refuted the unfair link between Islam and terrorism. "Islam has always promoted tolerance and peace just like other faiths," he said.

Questioned if the US could produce a deal whereby the Israelis dismantle Jewish settlements and the Palestinians waive the refugees' right to return, Mubarak said Washington must talk with the two sides first.

He said he was prepared to support any ideas proposed by the US to enhance chances for peace in the region, especially in consultations with all Arab countries.

Following is the text of the interview:

Snow: What is your view over the idea of holding an international peace conference to discuss relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority?

Mubarak, if the peace conference is not well prepared and the agenda is not known and discussed with the parties in the area, it will not lead to getting results. The people have great expectations. I think this conference will be held at the ministerial level and before that I asked the Secretary of State to make a tour of the countries of the region, having the items which will be included in this conference and discuss it with them so as when the conference is convened it will have good results. But is too early to have a conference at the summit level because it needs a lot of good preparation.

SNOW: Do you believe the President is ready to make his own peace proposal?

MUBARAK: I think President Bush may -- I think that he is going to deliver a speech of his ideas. And I think he gave up some of that to you when he said -- and he said it today again -- there should be two independent states living beside each other, secure in each other. I think it is a very good proposal. If everybody thinks deeply to be the best guarantee for the Israeli people to live in this area, because having two states, better than dealing with individuals and better than dealing with an authority who has no control now on all the factions they have, but dealing with a state, a government is much more practical and much more convenient to both sides.

SNOW: Must the United States take the lead role now?

MUBARAK: The United States is the key for the peace process. Such two states, Israelis and the Palestinians, if they are left alone to solve the problem, they will reach nowhere.

Let us look -- remember what happened between IRA and the Britain. They kept fighting each other (inaudible) for quite a long time, several years, until a country with a heavyweight like the United States interfered and brought the two parties and namely (ph) imposed, after they discovered that all (ph) partners, an agreement which has been accepted by both. And that's why you never hear about them.

So I think these two parts, the Israelis and Palestinians, need a heavyweight like the United States. And we, as partners in the area, and it effects us, thesituation, we are ready to help in the Arab world.

SNOW: What should the President tell Ariel Sharon this week?

MUBARAK: I think he should tell Ariel Sharon that he should work for peace. And destructions and using force and the killing and retaliation every now and then will never bring peace.

And I think that he should work on confidence-building measures to start to giving hope to the people by withdrawing from the land which they have acquired since the 28th of September, 2000.

Then they should work on improving the circumstances of the Palestinian people.

SNOW: The President has said that Ariel Sharon is a man of peace. Do you agree?

MUBARAK: I hope that Ariel Sharon could be a man of peace. I pray for that, not to continue destructions and killing and destroying houses. This will never help. Who continues doing this, that means that he is not looking forward for the future of the area, the future of the people.

SNOW: The President has also said that Yasser Arafat has let down the Palestinian people.

MUBARAK: I cannot count too much about that. But I spoke with the president about both sides. And I think he understood that Arafat, if he's going to work and he is going to make reform as he was told in his government and if he's going to deliver, I think the people accept him. If he's not going to deliver, it's the fate of the people.

SNOW: It's interesting, do you think the Palestinian people are now more willing to express their opinions about Yasser Arafat, including opposition, than they were even a year ago?

MUBARAK: Arafat now is weak, very weak. He has no police, no intelligence (ph), not tools to work with. That's why he's very weak.

MUBARAK: If you ask the people now, they say they are fed up. But if he's given the authority and given the tools, I think it would work very good. If not, the people who elected him will not accept him afterwards. We should give him a chance anyway.

SNOW: Do you think the President will give him a chance?

MUBARAK: I think that. And I think he said it today in the press conference.

SNOW: Well, he said it was an interesting idea.

MUBARAK: He said (inaudible) we'll try hard. How could we expel somebody that's been elected by democratic ways by his people? There will be elections coming. And if the people doesn't want him, then let him go.

SNOW: The United States is waging a war on terror. You are part of that war. This week Iran agreed to increase its funding for Islamic jihad and suicide bombings by 70 percent. It's done the same with Hezbollah. Should Arab nations, together, go to Iran and say, "Stop this?"

MUBARAK: We always tell them, "Stop." We are against that completely. We usually have tough time with them on the stuff that (inaudible) people. I think now Iran is much more cautious than ever before.

SNOW: Syria, there's also concern about Syria's financing of suicide bombings.

MUBARAK: Look, to tell Syria financing -- Syria has no funds just to spend on suicide bombs and that. This may be a propaganda. Now Syria is very keen (ph) even on Hezbollah. They don't give them money. They don't give them sympathies (ph) now. Syria is very alert to that situation. I have spoken with the Syrian president in that sense. I told him that we no more accept any kind of terrorism or (inaudible). I think they are very keen (ph) on that. They want peace. The Syrians want peace.

SNOW: There has been some speculation, and you have seen it in the press, in the American press, that Saudi Arabia has sort of snatched the spotlight from Egypt.

MUBARAK: Look, my friend, I don't care about what's written here or there. It's like something to put a problem between the two countries. Never. We are cooperating together.

When I go to them, I see special envoy from Saudi Arabia to the exchange of views. When Crown Prince Abdullah came here to the United States, we exchanged views and I sent him a special envoy too. So we have good cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

Anything to be said like this is trying to put the problem between two countries. We will never, both of us, will never accept any problem. We really have good relations, good cooperation, and we are both working in the field of peace.

SNOW: How about Usama bin Laden. There's been speculation about whether he's alive or dead. But has he twisted the message of Islam?

MUBARAK: I know nothing about Usama bin Laden now. He's disappeared. I don't know if he's killed or not. So I cannot give you any more information.

SNOW: Well, he said he is doing this on behalf of Islam.

MUBARAK: No, Islam is not bloodshed, it's not terror, it's not killing, it's not committing tough action like this. I think Islam is completely different from that. Islam like other religions. Likes love, cooperation, and these good principles in life.

SNOW: And we're talking about a peace process and proposals. Do you think it is conceivable that the United States can make a bargain, say to Israel, "If you get out of the settlements, we will try to make sure that there is no unlimited right of returns so the Palestinians do not outnumber Israelis in Israel?" Could that be a keystone to coming to an agreement?

MUBARAK: I think the United States cannot do this alone. They have to consult with the Palestinians and the Israelis, because maybe (inaudible) accept to have the refugees return back. And at the same time there's a problem between the United States and Israel and the Arab worlds because of the settlements. The settlements is a time bomb.

SNOW: Do you think George W. Bush is capable of providing the basis for a lasting peace?

MUBARAK: I think he's capable.

SNOW: Do you think he will?

MUBARAK: He will try. I cannot tell you that he 100 percent that I'm sure that he's going to maintain (ph) this, but he's doing his best.

SNOW: Do you think he will come up with a proposal that you can support?

MUBARAK: I would support his proposal because usually before declaring any proposal, he discuss with us and with Sauds and other neighbors there to be a success.

SNOW: President Mubarak, thank you.

MUBARAK: Thank you very much.

SNOW: And we want to give a special thanks to 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base for helping us put together the interview and set up the logistics.

Up next, the stories you're not going to find on any other Sunday show and our panel on the President's plan to improve homeland security.