Oct. 16, 2000

Speech by President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak to the inaugural session of Sharm El-Sheikh Summit

    It gives me great pleasure to welcome you in Egypt especially at Sharm El-Sheikh resort that has previously witnessed numerous meetings with the aim of pushing forward the process of comprehensive and just peace, averting deadlock or freezing of the peace efforts and overcoming the obstacles obstructing negotiations for achieving peace and security for all parties on equal footing in conformity with the legal terms of reference established by the international community and approved by all parties as a basis for peace negotiations in search for a brighter future for the peoples of the Middle East.

    I need not assert that the commitment to what was agreed upon is an imperative condition for preserving what remains of the peace process credibility. Violating the commitments agreed upon, as was the case on previous occasions, strickes the peace process deep in the heart, shakes the peoples’ confidence in the peace efforts and cast doubts on the true intentions of the parties concerned.

    The grave situation and tragic developments in the Palestinian land and the acts of aggression inflicted on the Palestinian people over the past two weeks prompted me to take the initiative for convening this meeting where we can deliberate on whatever step we might agree upon to put an end to the grave deterioration in the relations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and halt the para-military operations resulting in saddening tragedies and claiming huge losses in lives and property.

    We all know that developments could have been averted right from the very beginning, and their repercussions andcomplications contained. These will inevitably have their negative impact and sorrowful consequences on the peace process and the relations between both peoples who are looking forward for living together in peace, security and mutual respect.

    Many times, I found it necessary to warn and caution whenever I saw some ominous signs foreboding evil and harm to come. I reiterated that giving full rein to acts of provocation and aggression will result in the gravest consequences to all parties. This could drive the situation out of control, leaving the reins of power in the hands of anti-peace forces that gamble with the interests of the peoples and the destiny of innocent citizens.

    Soon, chaos and instability would spread to neighbouring areas, reflecting on the security of the region as a result of lack of insight on the part of a minority of extremists who pay no heed to the destiny of peoples.

    We wish those extremists would have learned the lesson. Yet, all that we saw was an objectionable relapse to provocative actions and oppressive attempts against an unarmed people designed to crush down its will and undermine its dignity. These are actions that we can never keep silent on, nor will we fain leave to aggravate like wild fire, affecting and devastating the situation in the region. As such, they could impair the relations between the Arabs and Israelis or between the Muslims and Christians on the one hand and Jews on the other. This is a situation which we must face with all our power and determination because it will have such grave consequences that no party alone can tolerate, regardelss of any power or supermacy it might think it possesses.

    For all these, I had to take the initiative of proposing the convention of this meeting to be co-chairmed by President Bill Clinton, of USA being the prime sponsor of the peace process. I hope we will be able, in this meeting, to lay a firm and agreed-upon foundation for dealings between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and cooperation between both governments. This is the way to put an end to these aggressive and outrageous actions and allow all parties to move forward balanced and comprehensive peace that gives the Palestinians their right to self-determination, establishing their independent state and living in peace and stability and realizes for Israel the same goal of security and stability to be part of the community of this region which is rich in creative potentials.

    This makes it incumbent upon us and our friends outside the region to redouble our efforts to complete chains of just and comprehensive peace and to enable its peoples to abide by legal rules and peaceful means adopted by most peoples of the world.

    For all these considerations, I hope we will do our best to face the incidents of the last few days with all firmness and sense of responsibility. Each party would fully realize the grave consequences that will inevitably result from any violation of legal standards and applicable practice.

    Indulging deep into the past and present should not make us oblivious of the wide prospects of the future and we should keep away from gambling over the human lives and people’s destiny. We wish to see radical treatment of matters and identify real,true and genuine facts since it is truth that remains lucent, and peoples are able to distinguish between the true and the false and the right and the wrong.

    We want to take such decisions that will bring things back to normal and instill hope and confidence into the future coexistence between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Failing this, the future picture will be dim, cloudy and enveloped in fears and doubts.

    There is no doubt that as they are preparing for their emergency summit in Cairo next Saturday, the Arab Leaders are monitoring, with full anticipation, this meeting since much will depend on its results. This redoubles our responsibility and the importance of fulfilling our duty with full courage and sincerity. I am all hope we will rise to this great challenge; the challenge of peace and coexistence, without more or less encroaching upon religious holies. It is the challenge of respecting rights, fulfilling duties and shouldering balanced and equal responsibilities. It is the challenge of discarding aggression, arrogant threats and forceful dictation. Only then, we will have successfully fulfilled our trust, shouldering our responsibility and serving our peoples. Otherwise we will be wasting a rare historic opportunity, that may not be repeated for some time to come.

    I do hope this conference will come up with the desired results and to realize the dreams of our peoples before giving in to pessimism and chaos, wasting away all we have barely built and achieved.