*EPF506 03/15/2002
Transcript: Cheney Speaks with Mubarak on Iraq, Palestine
(Egyptian leader says he will urge Iraq to accept weapons inspectors) (1540)

Vice President Dick Cheney said that on his visit to Middle East, he is seeking "open, frank discussion on a wide range of issues - and the wise counsel of experienced leaders," including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak whom he met with in Cairo March 13.

"I have come to the Middle East, on behalf of President Bush, to confer with regional leaders on issues of great importance, especially our continuing cooperative efforts to fight terrorism, and our determination to promote Arab and Israeli peace and reconciliation," said Cheney, speaking in Cairo with the Egyptian president.

Cheney said the United States has supported President Mubarak's efforts to create new jobs and opportunities for the Egyptian people by accelerating U.S. economic assistance to Egypt. The United States also seeks to expand trade and investment opportunities between the two countries, Cheney said.

The Vice President said the two countries have a common interest in assuring a "stable, peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of the region." He also thanked Egyptians for their assistance in the global coalition against terrorism.

"The Egyptian people have themselves been the victims of terror in the past, and our governments share a deep commitment to defeating this threat to the civilized world," said Cheney.

For his part, President Mubarak said Egypt would try to convince Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to comply with U.N. resolutions to allow weapons inspectors back in to the country.

"We'll try hard with Saddam Hussein to accept the UN inspectors to go there and we are going to meet with some of his special envoys and tell him that this is a must," said Mubarak.

Following is a transcript of Vice President Dick Cheney and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on March 13, 2002:

(begin transcript)

Vice President Dick Cheney

Press Availability with President Hosni Mubarak

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Wednesday, March 13, 2002

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: Thank you Mr. President. It's a pleasure to be back in Egypt once again, and to have the opportunity to again be hosted by President Mubarak. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Egypt a great many times over the years, and count President Mubarak a longtime friend. He and I have worked closely together on many occasions over the years, and most recently saw each other in Washington, just a short time ago. President Bush and I place great store by his wisdom and experience.

I have come to the Middle East, on behalf of President Bush, to confer with regional leaders on issues of great importance, especially our continuing cooperative efforts to fight terrorism, and our determination to promote Arab and Israeli peace and reconciliation. We are conferring as well about challenges to regional security, and the threat that weapons of mass destruction pose to all of us. Here in Sharm El-Sheikh, I also reaffirm America's strong commitment and our enduring bilateral relationship with Egypt.

There is a close friendship between our two countries. Egypt is a vital strategic partner for the United States. We have a common interest in assuring a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all the people of the region.

Americans are grateful for the assistance our coalition has received from Egypt. The Egyptian people have themselves been the victims of terror in the past, and our governments share a deep commitment to defeating this threat to the civilized world.

We also appreciate Egypt's leadership on behalf of peace in the Middle East. President Mubarak has been unfaltering in his dedication to try to get all parties back to the negotiating table, and back on the path toward peace. As President Bush made clear again last week, the United States will do all it can to end the tragic violence between Palestinians and Israelis, and resume a serious negotiating process.

The United States also supports Egypt's efforts to ensure continued economic growth and the creation of new jobs and opportunities for the people of Egypt. To that end, the U.S. has accelerated economic assistance to Egypt, and we look forward to working with President Mubarak to expand trade and investment opportunities between our two countries.

Here and throughout this trip to the Middle East, I am seeking open, frank discussion on a wide range of issues - and the wise counsel of experienced leaders such as President Mubarak. Mr. President, I want to thank you again for your hospitality today. And may I offer once again - to you and to all the citizens of this nation - the respect and good wishes of the American people, and of Present Bush.

Thank you.

QUESTION: Mr. Vice President, the United States has been saying for months that Yasser Arafat must do more to end violence in the Middle East. Has the burden now been shifted to the Israelis and how has the new U.N. resolutions discussing a Palestinian state affected the goal of Middle East peace negotiations.

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: I think the burden is on both parties to bring an end to the violence. It is not going to be possible to make progress until both parties can agree to cease fire, and to get into the Tenet and Mitchell plans and I think obviously the burden resides on both parties. With respect to the U.N. resolution that the United States supported last night, it once again reaffirms the commitment the President made earlier this year that our vision for the Israelis and Palestinians is in to sovereign states able to reside in peace with one another. The President made clear that the US vision for that part of the world includes that of a Palestinians land, as well. The resolution which was adopted last night and widely supported obviously, unanimously, by the Council with one exception, I believe, an abstention, was in fact we felt a positive statement of the hopes that all of us that we can in fact begin to make progress.

QUESTION: Mr. Vice President, in spite of regional and international efforts, Sharon is continuing an outrageous all-out war-against Palestinians. Hundreds of casualties have fallen in the past few days alone. How and when will your promises of the Palestinian State be turned into effect on the ground and President Mubarak you have often warned that Israeli terror will backfire. How can you help?

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: During the course of my travel we are reiterating the commitment the United States has made, the President has made to try and end the violence and bring about a resolution to the conflict. The decision the President made earlier to send General Zinni back to the region, he'll arrive there this weekend. I will myself after I conclude my swing through this part of the part be in Israel next week after I conclude my visit here in Egypt. We plan to do everything we can to persuade both parties that it's time for violence to end and I will reiterate that position every single stop along the way.

QUESTION: Mr. Vice President, Mr. President, I'd like to put this to you, President Mubarak, first. Saddam Hussein has said that he will not accept U.N. inspectors. I am wondering if you believe that the best and perhaps the only way for the United States to ensure that it and its allies will be safe from an Iraqi-sponsored terrorist attack with weapons of mass destruction, is to topple Saddam Hussein and his regime. If so, do you think that there has been enough, or any, serious consideration about what would replace that government and bring stability to the region.

PRESIDENT MUBARAK: We'll try hard with Saddam Hussein to accept the UN inspectors to go there and we are going to meet with some of his special envoys and tell him that this is a must and I think the Secretary General of the Arab League has discussed this issue when he was visiting Iraq a couple of weeks ago, and I think he had the approval from Saddam Hussein that he could start negotiations with the UN Secretary General and I think, as far as my knowledge is, that he is going to accept the inspectors. We will try in this direction as far as we can then after that if nothing happened we will find out what to be done in that direction. Thank you.

QUESTION: Question for both. I am going back, President Mubarak, I am going back to the resolution issued by the Security Council this morning and how do you envision the success of implementing this resolution especially or bearing in mind that there were unfortunately so many resolutions issued by the Security Council before and they were not fulfilled?

PRESIDENT MUBARAK: You mean the resolution which occurred yesterday, we have so many resolutions in that direction. The President of the United States has already mentioned that even before this resolution there should be a Palestinian State beside the Israeli State and they should live in security with each other and we're in agreement. The Security Council resolution didn't differ with what the President of the United States has already mentioned before.

Thank you.

Transcript prepared by U.S. Embassy Cairo.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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