Statements to the press following meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres an Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher
Jerusalem,
December 6, 2001
FM Peres: We were very glad to receive the Foreign Minister of
Egypt Ahmed Maher here at the Foreign Ministry, in Jerusalem. The
Foreign Minister met previously with the Prime Minister. We had
our meeting right now. I think it was done in a very constructive
way. The main subject was how to really bring back the cease-fire
in order to open the road for political negotiation.
I want to remind you that Egypt played in the past a rather
important role in bringing the Palestinians and us together. As a
matter of fact, when I look back to the time of Oslo, I feel that
we would hardly have reached this agreement without the active
support of President Mubarak and his team. We remember it and we
appreciate it. Our impression today is that President Mubarak and
his government would like to do whatever they can on their side
to bring an end to the vicious cycle of violence and the
beginning of the era of peace, the beginning of the peace
process.
It is in that spirit, Mr. Foreign Minister, that I receive you
here in Jerusalem.
FM Maher: Thank you, Mr. Foreign Minister. I was instructed by
President Mubarak to come to give a message to the Prime Minister
and to the Foreign Minister, reiterating our position that peace
is attainable, security for both sides is attainable, that we
have a road map agreed upon by the parties. We have the speech of
Secretary Powell that indicates an important desire to help the
parties reach an agreement, and it is important for us and for
the peoples of the region to have the cycle of violence ended and
negotiations started, on the basis that has been agreed upon by
both sides and which has been enunciated by Secretary Powell.
We believe that the security of the Palestinians and the security
of the Israelis are linked. Both can enjoy security, and they
must enjoy security and peace, and we have to help them.
I explained our position to the Prime Minister and to the Foreign
Minister. I cannot say that we see eye to eye, because this would
not be true - there are still points of differences - but we
agreed on the goal, which is to ensure a Palestinian state living
beside an Israeli state in security and cooperation. This is our
goal, this is what we want to work for.
In order to do that, we believe that certain steps have to be
taken, that certain acts have to stop. We, as you know, condemned
actions against innocent people, whether Palestinian or Israelis.
We have rejected some acts taken by the Israeli government. But
we believe that with sincerity, with assiduity, with
determination, we can overcome the present very difficult
situation and allow the Israelis and Palestinians to pursue their
way towards a peace that responds to the needs, aspirations,
hopes and rights of both peoples, and all the peoples of the
region.
President Mubarak has always said that he aspires towards peace
and stability and security for all the peoples in the region.
This is the gist of the message that I brought, and I come back
from here convinced that to continue talking is the most potent
way to reach this goal - talking between us and the Israelis,
talking between us and the Americans, but first of all, serious
talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Q: Foreign Minister Maher, you just said that there were key
differences between you and the Israeli side, that you don't see
eye to eye on several issues. What are the key points over which
you differ, and what are the key points over which you both
agree?
FM Maher: I don't think that you do not know what are the points
that we disagree on. We are not going to negotiate here in front
of the microphones. But let me say that we had a very, very
interesting, candid and wide exchange of views, and this has been
extremely helpful. But I will not go into the details - most of
the details you know. Maybe we have made some small steps, I hope
we did, but we will continue to remain in touch in order to push
forward the cause of peace and security for the Palestinians and
the Israelis.
Q: Mr. Peres, how did you reply to the Foreign Minister urging
Israel to stop its military attacks?
FM Peres: Israel doesn't have any military attacks. We have a
problem of self-defense, and we wish that Mr. Arafat will
establish his authority over all the armed forces which are
acting in the territories, and this in itself may bring an end to
violence.
Q: (Arabic)
FM Peres: Let me explain the problem of the timing, because it
creates the wrong impression. I received a call from two
prominent Palestinians requesting that they be given 72 hours in
order to really put in jail the people who are sending the
suicide bombers. I told him: You have had already 24 hours, and
now you have another 12 hours because of the weather - actually
they have more than that.
Why are we so impatient with hours? Not because we want to put an
ultimatum before the Palestinians. But, at this very moment, we
know there is a warning of some more suicide bombers trying to
enter Israel. Another bomb will really make the situation
impossible. The pressure of time comes from the pressure that
exists, every hour, every morning. We urged the Palestinians to
do what they should do to prevent more death and more
catastrophes. This is the story about the hours.
Q: Mr. Foreign Minister, did you get any indications from Israel
that the state of attacks on Palestinian targets has ended?
FM Maher: We have expressed our opinion that these actions are
certainly not helpful, that we have to get the parties to talk,
and in order to help the parties to talk we have to break the
cycle of violence. You know our position concerning the actions
of the Israeli armed forces during the last few weeks. You know
that we would like to see them stopped. We have raised this
matter with the Israelis. I cannot say that I come with definite
assurances, but I come with the hope that our voice will be
heard, that our voice will be listened to.
I will be seeing Mr. Arafat later in the day, and I will also
deliver the same message: that there has to be a resumption of
the negotiations, and there has to be acts that will help the
negotiations. I believe that the closure of the Palestinian
cities has to come to an end. I think that what are called
"targeted assassinations" have to come to an end, other military
actions against the Palestinians should come to an end - but also
I believe that there has to be a determination by both sides to
work together towards achieving this end.
Q: Mr. Peres, are you trying to get rid of President Arafat?
FM Peres: No, it's not our intention. What we are calling upon
Chairman Arafat is to establish himself as the sole authority
over all guns and rifles and bombs. This is not in order to serve
Israel, but in order to serve the Palestinians themselves. If the
Palestinians will be divided by armed groups, they will hardly be
able to reach their own destinies. You cannot have a country and
you cannot have an authority that has more than one authorized
armed force, whether army or police. I am sure that if Chairman
Arafat will do it, he will serve as a political address, and also
we shall get rid of violence.