CAIRO: Egypt's leading presidential hopeful, former Arab League Chief Amr Moussa, announced that in his vision for Egypt's future, the state would maintain its peace treaty with Israel, but in a modified version. The comments came during an interview with the regional newspaper Asharq al-Awsat this past week, in which Moussa outlined his comprehensive vision for Egypt. The 1979 Camp David Peace Accords, which governs peace between the two nations, could be revised in post-Hosni Mubarak Egypt. The two points up for debate include regulations for troop deployment in the Sinai, which is currently limited by the treaty. Egypt's supply of natural gas to Israel, another contentious issue, could also be modified. Moussa addressed two questions regarding the natural gas sales: “Firstly, whether we will sell natural gas to Israel or not, and secondly, how such sales will take place.” The sale of discounted natural gas to Israel has been a sore point for some Egyptians. Anger about the situation has been expressed as well through a series of bombing this past year on oil supply lines in the Sinai, through which Egypt exports the gas to neighboring Israel and Jordan. “As for the issue of whether we will continue such sales, the political apparatus must look into this and consider how it will manage Egypt's gas and oil policies, environmental policies, etc,” Moussa continued. Moussa, however, has no intention to cancel the treaty. “As for Egyptian-Israeli relations, the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty is in place, and I do not think there are any circumstances that will lead to its cancellation. I do not think this will happen, and I do not think it would be wise for this treaty to be canceled,” he explained. Amr Moussa is expected to be a prominent runner in Egypt's upcoming presidential elections. Nominations will begin on April 15, and elections are expected to take place in the beginning of June. In a nationwide poll in November, Moussa won 39 percent of the vote, establishing him the leading candidate. His closest competitor was Ahmed Shafiq, the former prime minister, who secured 13 percent of the vote. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/6KvWv Tags: Amr Moussa, Camp David Peace Treaty, featured, Israel, Natural Gas Section: Egypt, Latest News
