The region is almost on the cusp of a new order, but is not quite there. Nevine Khalil and Soha Abdelaty report on the latest developments United States Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to pay a visit to the region soon to discuss the situation in Iraq. Priority, however, will be given to preparations for the announcement of the roadmap for Palestinian-Israeli peace and the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005. This is in response to a promise made by Washington to focus on the peace process as soon as the Iraqi situation simmered down and the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) chose his government. Powell's long-awaited Middle Eastern tour was postponed until next week because of "scheduling" issues, said US Ambassador in Cairo David Welch on Tuesday. Powell's tour of the region will be broken down into two sections; his first visit will be to Syria, followed by a trip back to Washington, before returning to the Middle East to visit Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian territories and Israel. The exact dates and itinerary of the tour have not yet been finalised, but it is expected to start towards the end of next week as, according to Welch "the Palestinian government is confirmed." Cairo last week assumed the important role of mediator between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Abbas who were at loggerheads over appointments to key ministerial posts. Egyptian Chief of Intelligence Omar Suleiman was dispatched by President Hosni Mubarak to Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah on 23 April to talk the two men into reaching an agreement. Suleiman is well versed in the Palestinian issue, and had met Arafat several times last year when he was under siege in Ramallah. Top Palestinian sources told Mahmoud Murad that "differences between President Arafat and Abbas were severe to the extent that Abbas declined to form a government and went home." The last stumbling block between Arafat and Abu Mazen was the appointment of the minister of the interior; Abbas favoured appointing Mohamed Dahlan, with Arafat disagreeing, and wanting instead to assign this brief to Hani Al-Hassan. An agreement was finally reached when Dahlan was appointed state minister for security affairs, while Abbas is scheduled to become minister of the interior. Information from this source went on to say that Arafat had even gone so far as to consider alternative candidates, such as Palestinian National Congress Chairman Ahmed Qurei' and Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Shaath, for the post of prime minister. Returning from a regional tour, Mubarak spoke to Arafat about resolving the issue with Abbas. Mubarak dispatched Suleiman to meet separately with Arafat and Abbas. His mediatory efforts finally bore fruit when he managed to bring Arafat and Abbas to the same table for talks. A breakthrough was announced within a matter of hours; Arafat agreed to Dahlan as state minister for security affairs, while Abbas agreed to appointing Yasser Abed Rabo and Saeb Erekat to his cabinet. The Palestinian and Egyptian presidents had spoken by telephone before a beaming Arafat took his place alongside Abu Mazen and Suleiman, clutching each of their hands, for a triumphal photo opportunity. "Once the cabinet is announced," said the Palestinian sources, "the Palestinian Authority (PA) will have taken a leap towards political reform and contacts with regard to the roadmap will start to be established." Some observers have noted that resolving the matter in favour of Abbas was an indication that Arafat was being sidelined. But Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters on Tuesday that the new government in no way undermines Arafat's authority. "The reality on the ground is that the Palestinian leadership is in the hands of President Arafat and he remains the head of the Palestinian Authority," Maher pointed out. "The new government was agreed upon by both President Arafat and the Palestinian prime minister." Maher also said that US officials confirmed to him that the roadmap to peace, initially postponed until Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon formed his government and then further postponed until Abbas announced his new cabinet, would be "presented for implementation and not for negotiation". In his Sinai Day speech on 23 April, President Mubarak said that the roadmap must be implemented within a clear framework to ensure equal commitment on the part of both Palestinians and Israelis. "We are seeking an effective American and international role until the creation of a Palestinian state in 2005," he stated. Meanwhile, Cairo continues its diplomatic efforts to promote the establishment of an all- Iraqi government in Baghdad, but recognises that the path to this goal could be filled with roadblocks. "After the battles have stopped, we must all help the Iraqi people as much as we can," said President Mubarak. Egyptian officials believe that little can be done before the occupying forces in Iraq leave the country; in the meantime, US and British forces have certain obligations under the Geneva Conventions towards the Iraqi people. President Mubarak called on the coalition forces to provide Iraq with security and stability, asked the world community to assist in forming a legitimate Iraqi government chosen by the Iraqis, and requested an end to the occupation by the invading forces as soon as possible. This should occur, continued Mubarak, with the United Nations playing a pivotal role in the reconstruction and stabilisation of Iraq, according to Mubarak. Cairo wants this to happen as soon as possible, while also recognising that it cannot take place overnight. After the withdrawal of the troops, the next step is "that of enabling the Iraqi people to freely determine their future without any foreign interference", explained Maher, first through an interim government and then through a democratically elected government. "The choice has to be that of the Iraqi people and of no other authority," he added. The interim government must be created "without any foreign interference" and cannot be "under the auspices of anyone", said Maher. Cairo has established contact with various Iraqi opposition forces and on 23 April, President Mubarak met with a group of independent Iraqi opposition figures which included former Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi, former Chairman of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights Adeeb Al-Gader and former Regional Director of United Nations International Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Beirut Mahdi Hafez. In a statement to reporters, Pachachi, who heads the Independent Iraqis for Democracy group, confirmed that Mubarak had stressed that Iraqis must be given control of their country as soon as possible. Although Cairo looks favourably upon Pachachi's group, it shies away from publicly endorsing possible candidates for the Iraqi leadership, explained diplomatic sources. "It's not our job to recommend candidates," said Maher on Tuesday. "We're not going to form a government and we're not going to decide who will be a member of this government. There have to be meetings between the Iraqis themselves to choose, of their own free will, what the system of government will be," he added. After his meeting with Maher, Pachachi announced the convening of a conference for Iraqi opposition figures in Baghdad in June, at which the Iraqi interim president is expected to be elected. His government is also expected to represent all Iraqi political forces. Maher said that Egypt was willing to listen to "anyone who wants to participate in rebuilding an independent Iraq", and criticised any attempt "to choose leaders on behalf of the Iraqi people". Maher reiterated that there is Arab consensus "against any threats levelled at any Arab country and that the Iraqis should quickly regain sovereignty over their country".
