Egypt admits to U.S. pressure on missile cooperation with Russia, N. Korea
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, May 9, 2001
CAIRO — Egypt has acknowledged that the regime of President Hosni
Mubarak is under pressure from the United States regarding Cairo's missile
cooperation with North Korea and Russia.
Egyptian government sources said Mubarak was pressed in Washington
regarding U.S. intelligence reports that Cairo was cooperating with North
Korea in the development of medium- and intermediate-range missiles. The
sources said Mubarak has also been questioned regarding Egyptian plans to
launch missile cooperation with Russia.
The sources said Mubarak was questioned during his March visit in
Washington. They said this was the first time Mubarak was directly asked
whether Egypt maintains missile cooperation with North Korea.
Mubarak dismissed the allegations and said Egypt does not engage in
missile cooperation with North Korea, the sources said. They said Mubarak
complained to Bush administration officials that the questions raised in
Washington were improper to be asked of a U.S. ally.
Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi stressed that Egypt would continue its
military contacts with a range of countries. Tantawi did not address North
Korea.
"This goes together with responding to an international wish that we
take part in peacekeeping operations in view of the high reputation and
confidence acquired by our forces as a result of their participation in
several peacekeeping operations in areas of conflict," Tantawi said.
Since the Washington visit, Mubarak is said to feel that Egypt's
importance has been played down by the Bush administration. The sources said
this includes Mubarak's efforts to promote a plan drafted together with
Jordan that would end the Israeli-Palestinian mini-war, now in its eighth
month.
The sources said the Bush administration also interfered during
Mubarak's visit to Moscow last month. They said U.S. diplomats asked for
clarifications of reports that Mubarak was discussing the prospect of
missile cooperation with Russia. This included Mubarak's plans to visit a
Russian missile factory outside Moscow.
The U.S. search for clarifications reached Mubarak, who then cancelled
his visit to the missile factory and then returned to Moscow. In Moscow,
Mubarak signed several cooperation accords that included the transfer of
Russian industrial and nuclear technology to Cairo.
On Monday, Mubarak said Egypt does not want war despite Israeli threats
amid an increasingly explosive situation in Middle East. But he said his
country — referring to the Israeli preemptive strike in 1967 — was ready
to defend itself from any attack and that Israel would be the first
casualty.
"If the Israelis dare to take any similar action, the Israeli people
will suffer the same damage as the Egyptians," Mubarak told the Kuwaiti
daily Al Siyassa.
Egyptian sources have blamed pro-Israeli officials, congressional
members and
lobbyists for the U.S. pressure on Mubarak. But the sources maintained that
Mubarak's standing in the Bush administration has not been affected.
"President Mubarak has turned to be the main player capable of scoring
the peace goal in the area," the state-owned Ruz El Yusef, which reflects
the opinions of the Mubarak regime, said. "Hence, he became the primary
opponent for peace enemies in Israel. That’s why problems are fabricated
against Egypt by all means, starting by allegation of secretly providing
Palestinians with weapons, military cooperation with North Korea, urging to
sever U.S. aid, accusations of terrorism, religious persecution, absence of
democracy."
The magazine said Mubarak has not been ruffled by the U.S. pressure and
predicted that the administration would rejected criticism of Egypt.
Wednesday, May 9, 2001
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