Sept.  24, 2001

Mubarak calls again for international anti-terrorism conference

President Hosni Mubarak renewed his call on holding an international conference on fighting terrorism.

    President Mubarak, in his interview to the French channel III, said that there is no other way to eliminate terrorism but fighting it.

    He ruled out that the US would expand its expected attacks to cover other countries than Afghanistan such as Iraq.

    Mubarak said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein did not take part in the New York and Washington attacks, adding that the Iraqi issue is a different story.

    He further added that Syria and Libya couldn't be dragged into such operations as they are siding with terrorism-combat.

    Asked about the current US preparations for a military operation against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, Mubarak pointed out that he did not know actually what evidence Washington has.

    "We only know that bin laden is causing problems to the US by making statements to the extent that he said on June 13 that he was ready to assassinate US President George Bush and the leaders of the G-8 industrialized countries during their summit in Italy," said Mubarak, noting that this is why he can not predict what would take place.

    President Mubarak, however, said that the perpetrators of the terrorist operation in Washington and New York should be severely punished.

    On whether he views that Islamic fundamentalists have declared war on the West led by the United states, Mubarak underscored the importance of tracking down those genuinely responsible for these terrorist operations.

    Asked whether these operations would prompt the United States to reconsider its Middle East policy, described by the French as a disaster, Mubarak said that what is going on in the Middle East at present mounts up Muslims' and Arabs' resentment.

    "The incumbent Israeli government's demolition of houses, murder of innocents and official overt announcement that the Palestinian leaderships will be hunted down are all strange matters and against the interests of Israel and the United States," he said.

    The Palestinians believe that Washington is doing nothing, Mubarak said, noting that whenever an agreement is reached to hold a meeting between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, it is postponed and every time ceasefire is breached.

    He pointed out that the Palestinians are also getting killed, recalling statements by Israeli defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer that they have killed more than 600 Palestinians.

    President Mubarak called on the United States to change its policy and to advise the Israelis to be more rational in their acts and to give the Palestinians back their usurped rights, cautioning that this is one of the main issues that nourishes terrorism.

    He stressed that violence must be stopped and a just solution between the Palestinian and Israeli sides must be found, so as to give the Palestinians a chance to restore their usurper rights.

    "Failure to achieve this would constitute 60 or 70 percent of the reasons of world violence. For Muslims, interference in the religious affairs constitutes a great danger," said Mubarak.

    "Former US President Bill Clinton had asked me to support Arafat in taking a decision on the issue of Al Quds (Jerusalem) but I told him (Clinton) that I would support Arafat though I am sure he can not and have not the right to give Israel sovereignty, over Al Haram Al Sharif (noble sanctuary)," said Mubarak.

    He elaborated that Clinton was not clear about this issue until they met in Cairo and told him that no Arab leader would ever agree that Al Haram be under Israeli sovereignty.

    Muslims can fight for 100 years as long as it is a matter of religion, stressed Mubarak.

    On Europe's role in the Middle East peace process, he said that the European Union (EU) must play a role because it is affected by instability in the region.

    Asked about what he wants to say to the Americans, Mubarak said the whole world must exercise pressures on Israel to solve the Middle East problem in a just way.

    The feeling of injustice is very painful and that is why the international community has to work on settling all problems in all regions of the world, remarked Mubarak.