Ripe time for new faces

Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher's four-day trip to Washington will not be a joy ride, writes Tarek Atia
Ahmed Maher
Colin Powell
If newsprint were anything to go by, you'd think US- Egyptian relations were in trouble and that Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher's trip to the United States, beginning today, was a PR mission to save face.
The amount of press space that has been given to differences of opinion between the two countries on issues like Saadeddin Ibrahim, Sudan, Iraq, EgyptAir, and of course, the Palestinian-Israeli crisis, in the last few months, would make a casual observer wonder whether a rift isn't developing between Egypt and the US. But according to Daniel Kurtzer, who until Tuesday was the US ambassador to Egypt, "the relationship between our two countries is quite good and sound, and we use our dialogue to resolve differences in tactics and approach -- so things are okay."
Maher, who will be meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell today, told reporters before leaving for the US that "press attacks don't matter to us. If someone wants to say something they can say it. Those who want to attack can do so, but our position is clear. I am not going to defend, I am going to explain and negotiate and find out his point of view and tell him mine."
Maher says "it is natural that when I meet with the US secretary of state, there be a complete display of everything going on in the region." The moment is especially ripe now, though, according to Maher, because "there's a new secretary of state in the US and a new foreign minister in Egypt. A new administration needs more clarification regarding all issues."
In addition to his meeting with Powell, the minister will hold separate meetings with both Jewish- and Arab-American leaders.
Representatives of the American Jewish Committee, the Israeli Policy Forum and Americans for Peace Now are expected to attend. Maher emphasised that he will not meet the American-Israeli Political Action Committee.
A diplomatic source confirmed that Maher will try to present these leaders with the reality of the situation on the ground, addressing concerns that have recently surfaced amongst them regarding whether Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority are true partners in peace. "Since these groups get their information from just one side," the source said, "they are often misled into taking positions such as these."
Arab-American leaders will include those from the National Association of Arab-Americans, the Arab- American Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Arab American Institute.
Maher will also be meeting Bill Young, the head of the US House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, and Benjamin Gilman of the House's committee on international relations. On the Senate side, the foreign minister will meet leaders of the Foreign Operations committee, as well as members of the Middle East subcommittee of the Foreign Relations committee.
Maher will also hold a policy briefing with the editorial board of the Washington Post, and will have at least one major TV interview, with a yet to be announced network, in addition to an interview with Egyptian TV's representative in Washington.
No major newspaper or magazine interviews are planned as of yet, according to diplomatic sources.
First on the agenda with Powell will be the situation in Palestine. Maher indicated, "We should not consider [CIA director George] Tenet's proposal as an initiative in and of itself. It is part of a larger political effort which is based on implementation of recommendations made by the Mitchell commission. As such, it is important that we do not judge just one part of a complete process."
Kurtzer used much the same language with reporters after his farewell meeting with Maher in Cairo, saying the US and others were trying to "bring about the implementation of the Mitchell report as a complete package."
According to Maher, "There is not going to be an abortion of the efforts of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian resistance is continuing, and our support for this resistance continues. But resistance takes on different forms in different circumstances."
Also high on the agenda is the issue of Sudan, especially in light of a recent escalation of the conflict and US support for the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) fighting in the south.
Sadiq Al-Mahdi, head of the Sudanese Umma Party who was in Cairo on Tuesday, briefed Maher on the results of his own recent trip to Washington. "I spoke in the US about this issue," Al-Mahdi said, "and I said that any type of support from the US to any Sudanese party will only increase the war's escalation, making the US role as a broker of a complete political solution impossible."
Al-Mahdi said, "What I heard from US officials was that any form of official support must be utilised to support a just Sudanese peace, and the democratic process in the country -- not towards encouraging a victory for one team over the other."
Maher emphasised he will tell Powell that "our position on Sudan is very clear: we reject any division of Sudan."
Kurtzer, for his part, said that "we know Sudan is of critical importance to Egypt. We have some interests in the situation and we would want to consult on that."
Whether US interests in Sudanese oil are compatible with the Egyptian point of view will become clearer after Maher's meeting with Powell and other US officials.
According to Kurtzer, Iraq will also be addressed at the Maher-Powell meeting, since "the Security Council will convene before July 3 to take up the question of ending the sanctions and replacing it with a different kind of regime." Ever since the Bush administration came to power, Washington has been sounding out Arab countries' opinions on what it calls "smart sanctions." Considering Egypt's view, already expressed by Maher a few weeks ago, that any sanctions that harm the Iraqi people are "stupid," the discussion should be an interesting one.
Although Maher will not be bringing up the issue himself, he is sure to be questioned often and extensively about the conviction of Saadeddin Ibrahim. "If someone is going to ask me politely," Maher said, "I will answer him politely. If someone asks me in a rude way I will give him my back."
Considering the sheer volume and tone of press reports on the issue, Maher may be turning his back quite often. "We do not accept any interference on this issue or on any other of our internal issues," Maher explained. "If someone wants to ask politely for an explanation I am ready to talk to them, but if someone thinks they can pressure us to change our minds on this issue, or any other, he is fooling himself."
Maher, who was Egypt's ambassador to Washington for seven years, is no stranger to the US capital's corridors of power. It will be that familiarity, as well as his own quietly effective style of diplomacy, that may help make the trip a less strenuous one.
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