Anti-terrorism conference on hold

Egypt told European leaders that while the US has every right to defend itself, terrorism must be rooted out at source. Nevine Khalil looks at Cairo's latest diplomatic efforts
President Hosni Mubarak visited Europe this week to take stock of the US-led effort to avenge the 11 September terror attacks against America. He also dispatched Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher to Washington on Tuesday to convey Cairo's position to the US, probe ways of cooperating in the world-wide effort to combat terrorism, and to discuss developments in the Middle East peace process. During his 48-hour visit to the US, Maher was scheduled to meet President George Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
On a whirlwind tour of Paris, Berlin and Rome, Mubarak exchanged ideas with European leaders on the prospects and implications of the US strikes against Afghanistan in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trace Center towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. Mubarak also discussed the future of the peace process in light of Israel's procrastination in holding a meeting between Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres. Mubarak's tour continues Cairo's ongoing programme of consultations with Arab and world capitals.
In the three European capitals, as well as in Washington, Egypt reiterated its support of America's right to self-defence against terrorist attacks, but also affirmed that civilians should be spared. It also indicated that Egyptian troops are unlikely to participate in any military operations although Cairo is currently cooperating with the US through information and intelligence exchange. Egypt counselled that regional conflicts, such as the one in the Middle East, are a breeding ground for terrorism and therefore they must be resolved quickly. Egypt also reiterated its call for an international conference to combat terrorism but conceded that this may take some time.
A day before embarking on his European tour, Mubarak met the ambassadors of the US and Britain in Cairo on Saturday for an update on the latest developments in their home capitals. After the meetings, Maher said that what is required is international "cooperation," not necessarily an alliance or coalition, to fight terrorism.
In Paris on Monday, French President Jacques Chirac briefed Mubarak on his visit to the US last week and his talks with President Bush. Mubarak and Chirac agreed that terrorism is a challenge for the whole world, and that the US, by striking against its attackers, is within its rights. Chirac added that the West should not appear to be fighting against terrorism alone, but that the whole world community should play a part.
"We support combating terrorism anywhere in the world," Mubarak told reporters outside the Elysée. "Currently nerves are raw, and the Americans consider their actions as self-defence. We are waiting because we do not have complete data."
Maher told French radio that the US should provide Egypt with evidence to justify its attacks against Afghanistan and Bin Laden -- a request which US officials seem willing to meet. National Security Adviser Rice announced on Monday that the US has "very good evidence of links" between Bin Laden operatives and the terror attacks. The evidence which, she said, was compiled from "investigative services, law enforcement, and intelligence from a lot of countries," would be distributed to "friends, allies and the American people."
Mubarak told French television that "terrorist acts must be punished severely," and expressed hope that US strikes would not include Arab states such as Iraq. "Saddam Hussein said he is not party to the attacks in the US. The Iraqi problem is something else."
Meanwhile, Egypt's call for a UN-sponsored conference to combat terrorism appears to have been put on hold for the time being. For over a decade, Cairo has been advocating the conference, a call which temporarily gained momentum after the attacks against the US. "Holding an international conference is not the way to resolve the current situation," Mubarak told reporters in Paris on Monday. "It could be held in two or three years." He continued that such a conference would only succeed when held later, in order for countries to be more receptive to an anti-terrorism convention binding on all signatories, especially those which harbour terrorists.
On Tuesday, Mubarak was in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and President Johannes Rau. In press statements, Schroeder said there was a "high degree of agreement in [their] assessment of the situation" regarding the repercussions and implications of the terrorist attacks against the US. He said that a world-wide effort to combat terrorism was needed, and that Egypt was a "key state in the worldwide coalition against terror."
Mubarak was reassured in Paris, Berlin and Rome that Islam and Arabs are not seen as synonymous with terrorism, and the German Chancellor noted that the confrontation is not against Muslims. "No one is blaming Islam," said Schroeder, adding that Germany fully supports the US in its right to self-defence, "including all possible means."
For his part, Mubarak noted that Egypt is cooperating with the US in combating terrorism "because we have experienced it in the past," and that Cairo and Berlin see eye-to-eye on "what needs to be done to avoid terrorist attacks in the future."
Mubarak and Schroeder also agreed that the Middle East conflict was a "key issue" in promoting terrorism around the globe and, therefore, there was a need for the immediate relaunch of peace talks. Germany has worked hard in the past to bring together Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer succeeded during a trip to the region last month in getting the two sides to agree to meet; after four postponements, the meeting finally took place yesterday.
"We agree that this meeting absolutely must take place," said Schroeder, because it is the only way for progress to be made in solving the crisis.
"Steps must be taken to resolve this problem because I believe this [conflict] promotes terrorism," cautioned Mubarak. "If the conflict is not resolved, a new generation of terrorists will rise."
Earlier in Paris, Mubarak and Chirac called for a break in the cycle of violence and for relaunching talks between the two sides. "Postponing the Peres-Arafat meeting is extreme stupidity," said Mubarak. "If we want to solve the problem, we must sit and negotiate. Sacrifices are needed to reach a solution." He also told French television that the world must pressure Israel to resolve the conflict justly.
In Rome on Tuesday, Mubarak spoke with President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi about a comprehensive effort to uproot world terrorism through achieving peace in the Middle East. He added that the peace process needs to make progress through an "active effort" by the US and Europe to make Israel live up to its commitments. Mubarak warned that if resolving the Middle East crisis was not given higher priority, "terrorism will increasingly become a more serious problem for the whole world."
To further appease the concerns of Arab and Islamic countries, a top European Union delegation is expected in Cairo today as part of a regional tour. The delegation includes EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel (whose country currently chairs the rotating EU presidency) and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Piqué y Camps (Spain is the incoming head of the EU). The delegates are scheduled to meet Mubarak and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa.
Shortly after pledging support for US military action at last Friday's emergency meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, the EU decided to send a delegation on a "coalition-building" mission to Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria.
At the same time, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was in Cairo yesterday on a separate regional tour which included Iran, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. According to British Ambassador to Cairo John Sawers, Straw's visit is "very timely" and part of consultations on "the way forward."
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