After more than two months since his arrival in Washington, Egypt's ambassador to the United States Sameh Shoukry yesterday presented his credentials to President George W. Bush. Shoukry relayed President Mubarak's greetings to his U.S. counterpart, who has in turn expressed his appreciation to Mubarak for his leading role in fostering Egyptian-American relations. He also pointed to the vital strategic relations between the two countries throughout the past three decades, and to the importance of their partnership to achieve peace in the Middle East, hoping to put an end to the conflict and establish a Palestinian State. He also expressed appreciation of the bilateral cooperation in fighting terrorism, saying that Washington will not forget the cooperation in liberating Kuwait and dealing with the situation in Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bush stressed his country's support for the economic and political reform efforts in Egypt. Shoukry expressed Egypt's willingness to deepen bilateral cooperation in the future out of common values and principles, especially in the political field, education and culture. He said Egypt as a regional power that has influence over Arab and African and Islamic countries could contribute with the United States in achieving a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Shoukry pointed to the Egyptian initiative of 1974 to free the Middle East of nuclear weapons, and to President Mubarak's initiative of 1990 to free it of weapons of mass destruction as an indispensable basis for the stability of the region and the world. Assistant Foreign Minister for American Affairs Shadia Farrag said the delay in presenting the credentials was purely due to matters of protocol, and it has no political implications whatsoever.
