LONDON Ñ President George Bush was unable to overcome serious policy differences with Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak at last week's Camp David summit.
Arab and Western diplomatic sources said Bush and Mubarak failed to agree on how to end the Israeli-Palestinian war, the role of Israel in the
Middle East, the need for Palestinian reform and Egyptian support for an American attack on Iraq.
"There was a surreal atmosphere to the summit," a diplomatic source who
obtained a report on the Bush-Mubarak meeting said. "They were talking at
each other rather than toward each other."
Diplomatic sources said the Bush appeared hurt by
Mubarak's behavior. The president is known to enjoy the challenge of forging personal friendships with visiting heads of state.
The sources said Mubarak turned down Bush's appeal for Egypt's
cooperation in a military campaign to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
They said the U.S. president urged his Egyptian counterpart to end
diplomatic and trade cooperation with Baghdad.
Mubarak rejected the U.S. appeal and warned against any American attack
on Baghdad, warning that this would destabilize the Middle East.
On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the two presidents disagreed over a
timetable for the establishment of Palestinian state. At one point, the
sources said, Bush urged Mubarak to explain his plan to Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon, who arrived in the United States over the weekend.
Mubarak, who was said to have severely criticized Arafat, refused and
returned to Egypt.
On Monday, the Abu Dhabi-based Al Khaleej daily said Mubarak cut short
his visit to the United States when Bush refused to host a summit that would
include Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat as well as Sharon.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher denied the report.
On Monday, Bush met Sharon at the White House. The two men avoided the
subject of Arafat's future as Palestinian leader as well as the nature of
any independent Palestinian state.
"I don't think Mr. Arafat is the issue," Bush said. "I think the issue
is the Palestinian people."
After the meeting, U.S. officials said Bush has still not decided how
and when to launch a Middle East peace initiative. They said Bush has also
not decided whether to accept a State Department proposal to announce a
timetable for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
