New Delhi
11 December 2007
the peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue, according to Egyptian Deputy Foreign
Minister Hussein Derar. At the same time, he said, Egypt will be keen to reengage Iran
bilaterally. Tehran and Cairo have not had full diplomatic relations since 1980.
"Israel should withdraw from the occupied land. The problem is not Hamas, problem is
occupation, which is the source of trouble for [West Asia,]" Mr Derar said in an interview
to this newspaper. He was in New Delhi for talks with Secretary (East) N Ravi, Additional
Secretary (International Organisations) KC Singh and other officials. He left New Delhi for
Tehran on Tuesday.
Mr Derar hoped that the Moscow Summit next year will serve to "reevaluate the
situation" post-Annapolis. Egypt, for its part, is watching Israel and Palestine carefully
and examining their real intentions ahead of the Moscow Summit. He said that the
"internal dispute" in Palestine is a source of some concern for Egypt. "Egypt is trying its
best to promote reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah," he said, adding that both
Egypt and Russia have contacts with Hamas.
Will Egypt be open to the idea of a Jewish state? "Of course not," he replied. Religion is
already the most contentious and sensitive issue and recognising a Jewish state will
only push the world towards religious wars, he contended. Using religion as weapon to
divide the world will backfire, he added.
Welcoming the Gulf Cooperation Council's overtures towards Iran, Mr Derar said that
Egypt, a staunch United States ally, will support the right of Iran to peaceful use of
nuclear energy. Egypt plans to construct civilian nuclear reactors of its own. Mr Derar
hoped for civil nuclear energy cooperation with India. On the proposed India-US nuclear
deal, he said that India should conform to the principles of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty and disarmament.
He asserted that Egypt is against the division of Iraq along religious or sectarian
grounds. It wants the foreign troops to be withdrawn from Iraq so that the Iraqi people can
determine their own future. "We would like to see Iraq as a real power to reckon with in
the Arab community, as a constructive power," he said.
Mr Derar added that Egypt and India see eye to eye on many issues and they should
carry on their cooperation and coordination in the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and the
United Nations. Egypt will succeed Cuba as NAM chair in 2009.
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