The warmth has been restored to bilateral relations, but differences over the Palestinian issue persist, writes Ibrahim Nafie President Hosni Mubarak held four hours of talks with President George W Bush on bilateral relations, Palestine, Iraq and Sudan. The US president received Mubarak at his private ranch, a gesture symbolising the special bonds between the two leaders and their countries. The world's uncontested superpower and the region's leading power have put some warmth back into their ties, an achievement to which the joint statement that emerged from the talks hinted. Noting that 30 years have passed since the two countries restored diplomatic relations, the joint statement described Egyptian-US relations as a "partnership for peace and development". President Bush started by praising the reforms Egypt is undertaking and the efforts it is making to consolidate security and stability in the region. The two countries were in broad agreement over some of the main issues of reform in the Arab world. For example, they agreed that any process of reform could gain momentum only through popular participation. The process of reform, the two leaders agreed, is not confined to political aspects, but involves economic and social ones. The goal of reform is to improve the standard of living of nations without interfering with their identity, history, or specific needs. The two leaders agreed that reform should not be based on ready-made assumptions or tainted with certain views that have gained currency in certain circles, including the contention that Arab countries have become a hotbed for terror threatening the US and Europe, or that a gap exists between the aspirations of nations and the capabilities of their governments. Based on these common principles, one should expect that the process of reform would obtain the support and backing it needs from the international community. It is crucial that the international community does something to boost economic development in the Arab world. Economic reform would help resolve acute social problems and pave the way for reform in other fields. The two leaders agreed that current reform issues are closely linked to the problems of the region and that there is a need, therefore, to settle these problems. This does not mean that the solution of the region's problems is a precondition for reform; only that the settlement of these problems would help boost reform. The two leaders agreed that the Alexandria document, issued by the conference on Arab reform held last month, does not encompass the whole path of reform but is nonetheless a step forward towards partnership among Arab nations and governments. The document, although non- binding on Arab countries, offers a general framework that may guide their reform efforts. Any assistance offered within this general framework of reform would be greatly appreciated by the region's countries and nations. The Palestinian issue featured prominently in the Mubarak-Bush discussions, but it remains a sore point of contention. The Palestinian issue was the only unresolved issue in the talks, and is likely to remain so for sometime to come. It is to be noted that the US position, as presented by President Bush in his meeting with Mubarak, was hardly unexpected. Over the past few months, the diplomatic efforts exerted by US envoys made the US position fairly clear. The US supports Sharon's unilateral withdrawal plan for Gaza. But Sharon wants a quid pro quo. He wants the US to abstain from requiring him to return to pre-June 1967 borders, and to pledge that the Palestinian refugees would not be allowed to return. Since the US has made a commitment to Israel's security, and since the return of the Palestinian refugees is a threat to the Jewish character of the state, the US should overlook the right of return, Sharon argues. The Sharon government also says that since Israel has absorbed Jews who left Arab countries, Arab countries -- and whatever areas come under the control of the Palestinian Authority -- should provide home to Palestinian refugees. Egypt's response to these ideas was one of total rejection. For one thing, the right of return is one of the inalienable rights of the Palestinians. No one has the right to abolish it -- not Israel and not the US. Egypt also notes that Israel is making the annulment of the right of return a precondition for its withdrawal from Gaza, whereas successive Israeli governments have been adamant that the Arabs should make no preconditions. The issue of refugees and their right of return has been left for the final status talks, along with the matters of borders, water, security and Jerusalem. There is no room for discussing this particular issue at the moment. The US administration's adoption of such Israeli ideas poses certain questions as to the manner of responding to Sharon's plans for withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Trying to put the issue in the right framework, Egypt offered several main conditions that would make Sharon's unilateral plan acceptable. One is that the Gaza withdrawal be coordinated with the Palestinian National Authority. Another is that it must be linked to the implementation of the roadmap plan. Egypt also wants Israel begin withdrawing from the occupied West Bank. And it wishes to see a clear timetable set, one binding on all the concerned parties. The roadmap, which calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state by 2005, seems to be ominously receding from the picture. Therefore, it is imperative that a practical vision be formulated within which the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is conducted, in a manner linked with a certain date for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. As for the Iraqi dossier, the US president said the situation in that county is improving. Bush renewed his commitment to hand over power to the Iraqis on 30 June and expressed support for the efforts made by UN envoy Lakhdar Labrahimi. For his part, President Mubarak underlined the importance of the UN role and pointed out to the need to provide security to the Iraqis. The Egyptian president voiced deep concern over Iraq's future and territorial integrity. Concerning Sudan, the US administration expects a peace agreement to be signed soon and is willing to host the signing ceremony in Washington. With regard to the negotiations on a free trade agreement between Egypt and the US, the US administration expressed willingness to discuss this issue as of next year. It is clear that warmth has been restored between the two countries and that both are eager to further their ties. The relations between the world's leading superpower and a major regional country are just as you would expect them to be. The two countries agree on many issues and disagree on others. They agree on numerous regional issues, but the Palestinian issue remains a niggling point of difference. President Bush began his talks with President Mubarak by thanking Egypt and its president for their efforts to formulate a unified Palestinian political framework that would pave the ground for negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. But once the talks proceeded to the details, it became clear that the US adopts the Israeli vision in full, and both sides were therefore unable to come up with a consensual view that does not overlook Palestinian rights. The Mubarak-Bush meeting shows that the scope of agreement between the two countries is solid. There is much room for improvement should Washington begin to view the Middle East conflict from a US rather than an Israeli perspective. The difference of opinion between Egypt and the US over the Palestinian issue is mainly due to the fact that the US administration still views the conflict in the region and all its implications through Israel's eyes, a matter which hampers the prospects of a consensual view and is damaging to the image to the US in the Arab world. Many things can happen over the next few days. President Bush is scheduled to meet Sharon in the White House on Wednesday. We will have to wait and see how this meeting will go. In the meantime, consultations will continue. Egypt is willing to help out with the implementation of any agreement reached to turn the Gaza disengagement from a unilateral move to one linked with the roadmap plan. Were this to happen, negotiations leading to a just and overall solution of the Palestinian issue may restart.
