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| Egypt deploys diplomacy over post-pullback Gaza |
| | www.chinaview.cn 2004-06-21 09:18:38 |
by Liu Yunfei,
Wang Hao
CAIRO, June 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Egypt, a key peace
broker between the Palestinians and Israel, is deploying diplomacy to ensure a
smooth Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip amid doubts about its role in
post-pullback situation.
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier arrived here
Sunday evening to kick off his maiden Mideast trip to discuss Egypt's role in
the aftermath of the Israeli move and security arrangements in Gaza.
"The European Union is willing to help implement an Israeli
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, provided that the withdrawal be part of the
roadmap," Barnier told leading Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram in an interview ahead
of his two-day visit to Egypt.
"The Israeli withdrawal
should include transfer of power to the Palestinian National Authority, and
Israel should not obstruct the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip," he said, while
underlining the importance of Egypt's role in the Israeli
pullout.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to
evacuate all 21 Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip and four other isolated
enclaves in the northern West Bank by the end of next year and withdraw
troops.
Fearing that post-pullback vacuum could lead to
chaos in the Gaza Strip, Egypt has offered to send 150 to 200 officers and
security experts on a six-month mission to help train a 30,000-strong
Palestinian security force.
It has also voiced its
willingness to increase the number of its troops on the border with the
Palestinian territory.
On Wednesday, Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak stressed that any Israeli withdrawal should be part of
the so-called roadmap peace plan, which envisions a full Palestinian state by
2005.
The roadmap has been put forth by the international
quartet grouping the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European
Union.
"We accordingly offered to train Palestinian cadres
to maintain security and halt continued violence operations," Mubarak told
reporters.
"We are resolved to do so," he said, adding that
with the help of the United States, such an Israeli move would not only cover
Gaza, but could be extended to the West Bank.
As for
Egyptian-US coordination on security arrangements in Gaza following the Israeli
pullout, Mubarak said, "the American side should work with us and we must take
guarantees to secure our men."
"We have an agreement with
the US, Israeli and Palestinian sides to protect our forces which will undertake
this training," he said.
Mubarak's remarks came at a time
when US CIA chief George Tenet is visiting Cairo, a trip which also coincided
with a trip by Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei to
Cairo.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Arab
League chief Amr Moussa on Thursday, Qurei said that it was imperative to rally
" unconditional support" from the United States and other parties of the
international quartet to ensure that the Egyptian mission would succeed.
"Israel must not commit violation while Egypt is helping
restructure the Palestinian security apparatus," he said.
Speaking to reporters, Mohamed Sobeih, Palestine's permanent representative to
the Arab League, said that Qurei informed Mubarak of the ongoing discussions
between the Palestinian National Authority and various factions aimed at
reaching a written document on the factions' participation in the running of
Gaza and an Egyptian role.
However, some Palestinian
hardliners are worried about Egypt's intervention, saying that such a move would
serve the interests of the Jewish state.
In reply to such
doubts, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher has said that his country is not
substitute for the Palestinians or Israel in the Gaza Strip.
During an interview with the state-run television, Maher said on Friday that once Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian National Authority would take over and Egypt will not replace the Palestinian side in the area. Enditem |
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