*EPF507 06/07/2002
Excerpt: Powell-Mubarak Meeting "Productive"
(Search for Middle East Peace focus of June 7 discussions) (690)

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said Secretary of State Powell and Egyptian President Mubarak had a "warm, productive meeting" June 7.

"It was an exchange of information and views on our extensive bilateral relationship, the international campaign against terrorism and most particularly on the situation in the Middle East," Boucher told reporters at the regular press briefing June 7.

"We're very pleased to have President Mubarak in town. We welcome this opportunity to consult with him again closely on these issues," he said, noting President Bush and President Mubarak would continue this dialogue at Camp David June 7-8.

Further on the Middle East, Boucher said Powell had spoken with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal by phone on June 6.

"There's going to be a considerable amount of focus and discussion regarding the situation in the Middle East over the next few days.... As the president said, these discussions are going to help us look better at how to move forward and help us determine how to move forward on our three-part strategy. And I think the president even said you'll be hearing more from him in the near future," Boucher said.

The three-part strategy involves simultaneous work on security arrangements, reforming Palestinian institutions and final status political negotiations.

Following is an excerpt from the June 7 regular State Department press briefing with Boucher's comments about the Middle East.

(begin excerpt)

QUESTION: Do you have anything on the Secretary's talks with President Mubarak this morning?

MR. BOUCHER: As you know, the Secretary is meeting this morning with President Mubarak as part of a series of meetings that President Mubarak will have in Washington, and so a lot of the discussion is preliminary to the discussions that President Mubarak will have with the President tonight and then tomorrow at Camp David.

This morning's meeting I would describe as a warm, productive meeting. It was an exchange of information and views on our extensive bilateral relationship, the international campaign against terrorism, and most particularly on the situation in the Middle East. The Secretary spoke a little bit to the press who were standing outside when he came out. I think we'll get you those words, but basically what he said is they talked mostly about the Middle East situation in terms of the Israelis and Palestinians and the search for peace.

As always, I would reiterate we are very pleased to have President Mubarak in town. We welcome this opportunity to consult with him again closely on these issues.

The discussion at this point with the parties focuses on how to move forward, how to implement the three-part strategy we've talked about, and what to do in terms of the meeting that we expect to convene this summer. And those discussions will continue with the President and between President Bush and President Mubarak over the weekend.

...........

QUESTION: -- conversation the Secretary had with Foreign Minister Saud factor into the President's thinking as he prepares to make this statement that he's going to make?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes. It's one of the pieces. The President I think talked a little bit this morning. There's going to be a considerable amount of focus and discussion regarding the situation in the Middle East over the next few days. CIA Director Tenet and Assistant Secretary Burns are both back. They both returned from the region, so they'll be providing readouts of their meetings and discussions with Secretary Powell and President Bush.

The Secretary, as I said, spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal last night, and saw President Mubarak this morning. So those fit into the picture. And then the Secretary and the President will have discussions over the weekend with President Mubarak, and then on Monday with Prime Minster Sharon.

As the President said, these discussions are going to help us look better at how to move forward, and help us determine how to move forward on our three-part strategy. And I think the President even said you'll be hearing more from him in the near future.

(end excerpt)

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

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