Egypt's ambassador to the US tells Dina Ezzat that Cairo cannot be used as a mere tool in the implementation of foreign regional strategies It is impossible to deny that bilateral relations between Egypt and the US are far from being in the best shape. Tension is unmistakable, even if at times disguised. Overt and covert disagreements range from the administration, or rather lack thereof, of Middle Eastern affairs, especially the Arab-Israeli struggle, to governance methods and economic cooperation. In Cairo on a short visit, Egyptian Ambassador to the US , speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, was frank about the ups and downs of relations between Cairo and Washington. The euphoria of US-Egyptian ties in the early 1980s appears long past. Yet Fahmi is not willing to resign himself to pessimism. In fact, for Fahmi, bilateral Egyptian-US relations are better founded today than in the wake of the signing of the Egyptian- Israeli peace agreement. Indeed, while acknowledging that Cairo has encountered tough moments with the current US administration, Fahmi stressed that not all was negative in the last seven years; nor would Egypt give up on the remaining 16 months before a new administration takes over. Fahmi is convinced that there is still a chance for Egypt and the US, under the present administration, to work on solutions to problematic issues, especially regarding the situation in the Middle East. But Egyptian-US relations can only be improved, according to Fahmi, if both sides invest equally in effort and time to defend their priorities and work around their differences. "Looking at US-Egyptian relations one has to take fact and fiction into account, as well as the unique nature of both countries," Fahmi said. He explained that while there were differences that cannot be denied, there is also, on the part of some, a tendency to blow these differences out of proportion and ignore the overall reality -- that US-Egyptian ties are about common interests that cannot be compromised. "So there are problems, but there is also the realism and awareness that these problems have to be worked around, in the interest of both sides. This is not a one-sided relationship," he said. Fahmi added that Egypt-US relations have to be nurtured by both sides; that neither side should take the other for granted; and that the US should realise that Egypt is a player not a follower, and that it will not -- and cannot -- allow anyone to use it as a tool in the implementation of regional policies it finds harmful to its interests or the Arab world. Fahmi believes it is essential for both Egypt and the US to pursue "new success stories". These successes, he said, would not necessarily have to be confined to the Arab-Israeli peace process, crucial as this issue is for both sides. "We are facing global challenges and we have different stake-holders. We are talking about administrating relations in a different political theatre than the one we had upon the resumption of the bilateral relationship in the wake of the signing of the Egyptian- Israeli peace treaty. We are living in a different world." Indeed, Fahmi added, unlike the generation of US politicians of the early 1980s who were focussed on achieving Arab-Israeli peace, today there is a new generation, indeed of Americans in general, who see the Middle East more through the lens of "terrorism" and/or Iraq. On the other hand, "today there are more and more Egyptians who appreciate US values" in terms of liberties and democracy but "who at the same time are confronted with US Middle East policy" that they cannot accept and see as anti- Arab. While acknowledging the benefits Egypt gains through a stable relation with the US, the head of Egypt's diplomatic mission in Washington said the US has gained a great number of benefits from its relationship with Egypt. In particular, Fahmi referred to Egypt's "valuable contribution" to the liberation of Kuwait and the launching of the Madrid Arab-Israeli peace process: political success stories that the US took credit for. A less well- known example, Fahmi said, was when Egypt helped President Bill Clinton secure the safe withdrawal of US troops from Somalia. According to Fahmi, despite the pressure that 11 September put on Arab-US relations, Egypt and the US came closer together as both countries embarked on a joint effort to address threats of international terrorism and to manage the potential "clash of civilisations" that nearly erupted following the attacks. Fahmi is convinced that having survived 25 years, Egyptian-US relations can weather more than a few storms. But the US is increasingly conducting relations with Egypt in a collective Arab format, rather than through traditional bilateral channels. Is Egypt's standing in Washington eroding? Fahmi did not appear surprised by the question. He does not entirely agree with characterisation, however. For him, as one of the oldest hands in administering Egyptian-US relations, Egypt is and will remain a top priority for the US when it comes to the Middle East. However, the Egyptian ambassador is willing to acknowledge that there are other Arab countries -- some younger in years than Fahmi himself -- that are pursuing a more influential role in conducting Middle East politics. "You could argue that you are not the only game in town, but you are still the most important game in town," he said. "If you tell me that during the past few weeks or months there have been some meetings here and there, then I will tell you that does not and should not worry me. What should worry me is if someone tells me that for over a few years any particular country has taken the lead over Egypt in handling regional politics," Fahmi said. Washington understands, he added, that the US could not preserve good relations in the Middle East without good relations with Egypt. With one fourth of the population of the region, a leading cultural sector, unique geographical positioning, a diversified economy and above all healthy relations across the Middle East, Egypt is key to US calculations. If there is that much at stake for both sides, what went wrong? Is the current US administration the problem, or did Egypt go wrong in its handling of Egyptian-US relations? Fahmi is careful. "In this business of diplomacy one cannot at all deny the 'human' element, especially when it comes to particular individuals," he said. The diplomat added, in a measured tone, "Historically there are strong leaders and there are failed leaders." While acknowledging that President Bush was the first to publicly talk of the right of Palestinians to have an independent state, and while appreciating the huge impact that the 11 September attacks had on the priorities and policies of his administration, Fahmi is not comfortable with focussing on the detail of Egypt-US relations under any particular administration. "Why is it that in the Arab world there is always a tendency to say that the current administration -- no matter when -- has failed to see the Arab point of view?" "At the end of the day we have what we have and nobody is asking us to agree with everything -- not that we would if we were asked to," Fahmi said. By way of self-criticism, he added that more efforts have to be invested in advocating the Egyptian -- as well as the Arab -- point of view, especially that the US political system is based on advocacy. "We should not just say that any particular administration is automatically adopting the Israeli point of view. We need to realise how hard the Israelis work on getting their points of view accepted." Egypt has the ability to pursue this kind of advocacy, especially when it comes to the Arab-Israeli issue, Fahmi said. US re- engagement in the Arab-Israeli conflict, he argued, is not just about the Bush administration wanting to overcome its crisis in Iraq, but is also the outcome of the active promotion of the Arab peace initiative. "By addressing a clear-worded and [visionary] letter to President Bush to [alert] Washington to the need to pay genuine attention to the Arab-Israeli file, President Mubarak managed to ignite renewed interest on the part of the US in this crucial issue," Fahmi said. Moreover, he added, "Mubarak's personal commitment to meet many key American visitors to Egypt is extremely useful. Even when he disagrees with his guests on regional politics, the exchange of views is very important in explaining to the American side the Egyptian perspective, at the highest level." Fahmi is opposed to what he qualifies as an "unhealthy confinement" of Egyptian-US relations to the Arab-Israeli file, arguing the need for advocacy to be broadened. Fahmi has been working on a programme to bring "figures of Egyptian society and not just the Egyptian government" to talk in the US, and not just to the administration and Congress but also to society at large. Fahmi is also hopeful that there will be wider engagement on the part of Egyptian media in positively arguing the Egyptian case to the American mind. For Fahmi, the fact that the US decided, despite its laws against state-owned media, to operate state-run channels like Radio SAWA and Al-Hurra TV (which cannot, by law, be broadcast in the US) in order to get its point of view across is a clear indication that the media has a growing role in conducting diplomacy in today's world. Fahmi explains: "I am not talking about a propaganda machine, because I know that this is simply not useful. I am talking about addressing the Americans in the way they should be addressed -- and there is no shame about this." Today, Fahmi sees it opportune for Egypt and the US to work on securing the success of the ministerial meeting proposed by President Bush to be held later this year in the US on the Arab- Israeli struggle. Fahmi believes that Cairo has a key role in securing the launch of serious final status talks between the Palestinians and Israel in a credible context of confidence-building measures on the side of Israel, especially in relation to the termination of illegal settlement building. Were this ministerial meeting to fail, Fahmi argues, "it will be looked at as the end of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, perhaps for a number of years to come." Egypt's cooperation with the US on this meeting -- one that might or might not include Syria -- should not be perceived negatively on the Arab front, according to Fahmi. On the potential participants to the meeting, "Egypt said that while this conference is supposed to strictly focus on the Palestinian-Israeli matter it should not disqualify any participant, especially if the ultimate objective is a comprehensive and permanent Middle East peace." Regarding the defence of Arab interests, Fahmi affirms: "Egypt's commitment to defend Arab interests with the US is above question... I am Arab as much as I am Egyptian -- equally."
