MIDDLE EAST: In an interview in Cairo, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak tells Deaglán de Bréadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, that renewing the Middle East peace process is top of the agenda for his Dublin visit
Praising Ireland's backing for the Palestinians and for Middle East peace, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak told The Irish Times in Cairo yesterday that renewing peace efforts in the region would be the number one priority on his Dublin visit this week.
"Ireland has always shown a great deal of understanding and support to the Palestinian people," he said. "As a member of the United Nations and the European Union, Ireland has adopted long-standing principled positions, siding with the cause of peace in the Middle East."
The president will be making the first visit to Ireland by an Egyptian head of state when he arrives in Dublin today.
His official programme is scheduled for tomorrow and includes a lunch hosted by President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin followed by talks at Government Buildings with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
"My visit to Dublin comes at a very sensitive juncture in the history of the Middle East. The whole region is witness to serious developments," Mr Mubarak said. Ireland, France and Germany are the three stopping points on his five-day European tour and his talks in Dublin will be followed by meetings in Paris with the president, Jacques Chirac, and in Berlin with the chancellor, Angela Merkel.
Mr Mubarak said he has never been in any doubt as to how the region's problems can be solved. "The Palestinian cause is the key to addressing this volatile regional situation. Any progress along the Palestinian-Israeli peace track will trigger a positive spillover on other Middle East crises; in Iraq and elsewhere. This is a point of fact I kept reiterating time and again during the last few years."
In an implicit reference to the United States and the EU, he said: "Recently, we note an evolving recognition of this reality among important international key players. This recognition, though late, represents a window of opportunity we must seize."
Expressing his appreciation of Ireland's stance on the Middle East, he said that "consulting with Ireland on how best to relaunch the peace process is top of the agenda of my upcoming visit".
However, he stressed the need for Israeli restraint and Palestinian unity. "Our contacts continue with the Palestinians and the Israelis. [ Israeli] prime minister Olmert sounded open and forthcoming when we met in Sharm El-Sheikh last June.
"Unfortunately the later developments, on both sides, were not much helpful. With the Israeli war on Lebanon and the escalation in the occupied territories, the situation became further complicated. During the last few months we have encouraged both parties to bring violence to an end. We urge the Palestinians to end their differences and speak in one voice.
"Reciprocated confidence-building measures will create the environment conducive to relaunching peace negotiations. Israel has to help Abu Mazen [ Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas] and engage with peace efforts in good faith."
When asked if the quartet formed by the US, EU, Russian Federation and United Nations could still play a useful role, he replied: "Since 2003, the 'Road Map' [ quartet proposal for two states in return for Palestinian internal reform and end to violence] has been the framework of action in the quest for peace in the Middle East. So far, the quartet did not achieve much progress in its implementation.
"What we need now is a high-level political commitment within the quartet to re-engage in a sincere effort to relaunch the peace process."
The Egyptian leader is clearly dismayed by the conflict which erupted in Lebanon last July and August and he criticises the two sides equally. "It was a pointless war that complicated an already complicated situation. It broke out because of bad judgment and wrong calculations on both sides and stirred widespread anger against Israel across the region and beyond.
"Neither party came victorious out of this war. The course of events last summer dealt an additional blow to regional security and stability in the Middle East. What is crucially important now is to ensure Israeli respect of Lebanon's airspace and sovereignty. It is equally crucial to preserve Lebanese national unity [ and keep it] apart from narrow sectarian interests and external interference."
Turning to the situation in Iraq, he suggests a phased withdrawal of US and other foreign troops. "It is a real dilemma. Should the coalition forces pull out now, the situation will further deteriorate. Should they remain, resistance will continue. Any exit strategy must take this into account.
"Rebuilding Iraq's army and security forces as well as achieving national reconciliation could pave the way for a gradual phase-out of foreign presence and defusing the current crisis."
Describing Iraq as "a difficult equation" and a "very complicated country" he said: "Now I don't know how they are going to come out of this problem. I heard that the prime minister told George Bush when he was in Amman that he is going to attain security and stability by July. I hope they can do it."
Mr Mubarak stressed the need for caution on the troops issue. "Pulling out too soon would be very dangerous. Staying is also dangerous and complicated, because the opposition will work against them." He expressed horror over the relentless rise in the death toll. "Every day!"
Highlighting the ethnic diversity of the country with its Kurdish, Shia and Sunni communities, he said: "Iraq needs a strong leader." It was put to him that there was no sign of such a leader emerging at the moment. "I don't want to mention any names now," he said, adding that Mr Maliki might be the one who could stabilise the country.
Asked for his hopes regarding the long-awaited report from the Iraq Study Group appointed by the US Congress, which is due for publication today, Mr Mubarak said: "We wait and see." He said that, if it recommended withdrawal in the short term, "I don't think this would work." That would be "making another mistake, a terrible mistake".
He drew two imaginary lines in the air. "Withdrawal now is very dangerous, and I underline it."
The crisis in the western Sudanese region of Darfur is also on the agenda for his political talks in Dublin. "Darfur, if it is not tackled perfectly and wisely, will be much more difficult even than Iraq because, if it is not looked after cautiously, terrorist groups will come from Somalia, from Ethiopia . . . from everywhere. It will be a big theatre for terrorists."
One of the difficulties has been the Sudanese government's reluctance to accept UN peacekeeping troops and Mr Mubarak is critical of the UN Security Council Resolution 1706 on Darfur which was passed at the end of August.
"The resolution which came out from the security council was not fair," he said. He complained that it envisaged UN control over borders as well as imposing changes on the judicial system and the police. "Impossible - any country would not accept all these conditions."
He knows the Sudanese leadership "very well" and spoke with President Omar al-Bashir on the issue. Subsequently he informed Mr Bush that he could not ask his Sudanese counterpart to accept the UN resolution.
On the bilateral aspect of his visit, he said relations between Egypt and Ireland were "excellent at the political level" but stressed that "more effort" was needed to enhance co-operation in trade, investment and tourism. "We attach high priority to our relations with Ireland," he said.
Murabak's reign: history of a survivor
Hosni Mubarak has been president of Egypt since October 14th, 1981. He was confirmed in office by majority votes in controversial referendums on four occasions: in 1987, 1993, 1999 and 2005. In September 2005 he also won a multi-candidate election that was the subject of much criticism for voting irregularities. Dr Ayman Nour, a dissident and candidate for al-Ghad party, contested the 2005 election results, and demanded a repeat of the election. He was later sentenced to five years in jail for forging signatures, a charge Dr Nour strongly denies.
Born May 4th, 1928, Mr Mubarak was appointed vice-president in 1975 after rising through the ranks of the Egyptian air force. He ascended to the presidency, succeeding Anwar Sadat, following the latter's assassination. Mr Mubarak himself has escaped no fewer than six assassination attempts.
He is married to Suzanne Mubarak, and has two sons, Alaa and Gamal.