Peres demands normal economic relations with the Arab world

Friday October 24, 2008 23:47 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Israeli President, Shimon Peres, met on Thursday with the Egyptian president, Hosny Mubarak, and informed him that Israel is interested in establishing normal economic relations with the Arab world, and that these relations would parallel peace talks with the Palestinians.

File - Peres (left) and Mubarak

Peres said that these normal relations should be achieved before a final peace deal is reached with the Palestinians and before a peace deal is reached with Syria. 

The meeting was held at the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Sheikh. This is the first official visit conducted by an Israeli president to Egypt since 1996.

Senior Israeli officials reported that Peres is proposing that Arab countries supervise negotiations with Syria as stated by the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.

Peres also asked Mubarak to explain the reasons that caused the failure of talks aiming at the release of the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, held by Palestinian fighters in Gaza.

Egyptian sources reported that Mubarak told Peres that Egypt is not responsible for the failure of these talks, and that Israel knows very well that Egypt is practicing enormous efforts to achieve a deal that would ensure the release of Shalit.

Furthermore, Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that Peres told Mubarak that Israel accepts the Arab initiative of 2002, and that Israel is interested in economical relations with the Arab world. Peres said that these relations should be parallel with ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians.

The Egyptian president rejected the proposal of Peres and said that the Arab Peace Initiative is very clear as it states that the Arab countries will have normal relations with Israel after a comprehensive peace deal is reached between Israel and the Palestinians.

Responding to Mubarak, Peres said that peace with the Palestinians is the key to regional peace, and that he does not fully accept the Arab Peace Initiative.

Peres added that there should be negotiations on the Initiative itself as Israel has its own modification to it, but Mubarak told him that the Initiative is not subject to negotiations.

Israeli sources stated that the upcoming Israeli government will continue the peace process in order to achieve a two-state solution.

The sources added that Peres believes in the important role of Egypt in the peace process among the current international and regional conditions.

Peres previously stated that Israel should not have two separate peace tracks with the Palestinians and Syria, and that it should push towards regional peace with all Arab countries.

The Israeli President also said that he believes that Israel will pay a lower price for peace if it achieves a comprehensive regional peace deal.

arab world | peace process | news report saed at imemc dot org