Moussa Seeks to Calm Arab Countries ‘Privately’

• by A.D.McKenzie (paris)
• Monday, June 13, 2011
• Inter Press Service

'I’m not in a position to put pressure as I’m leaving my post as secretary-general, and I’ll be just a private citizen,' Moussa, the front-runner in the Egyptian polls, said. 'But I’m still saying what I want to say and I’ll see what weight that will carry.'

Regarding Syria, he said, 'I am definitely against using violence against civilians, there is no question about that. That’s why I’m calling on the government and authorities there to accelerate the pace of reform and to meet the aspirations of the people.'

No date has yet been set for the presidential election in Egypt, but it is expected to take place by the end of the year. Moussa said the Middle East conflicts needed to be resolved now.

'Should we wait until December? Things have to happen now to put an end to this crisis,' he said.

Speaking on a broad range of other issues at a debate organised by the Press Club of France, Moussa said that 'peace and stability' in the region were necessary for the success of national democratic policies. He said that the 'process of democracy should not be delayed' and that elections in Egypt should go ahead as quickly as possible.

If elected, Moussa said he would work to make Egypt an inclusive society with respect for the rights of all. Asked about the fears among women and Coptic Christians as to what they may face in the future, he said the differences between groups was a 'false problem' that had been 'imposed by negative elements' as well as by the neglect of the former regime.

Regarding that regime, Moussa gets visibly worked up at the slightest suggestion that he was an integral part of the administration of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. He says that although he was foreign minister under Mubarak from 1991 to 2001, he was 'supported' by the people.

His popularity created such 'bad feelings' in the regime that he was eventually forced to leave, Moussa told journalists.

His supporters say that he was appointed as the Arab League’s Secretary-General in 2001 because Mubarak wanted him out of the way before elections in 2005. Moussa says he’s pleased with what he accomplished as foreign minister.

'I must say that I was proud of those ten years,' he said. 'And Egyptians were also proud of those ten years of foreign policy that were supported by the vast majority of Egyptians and Arabs. That is why I can claim that I did serve my country with distinction.'

Moussa said that Egypt 'should be and in fact has always been one society, except for some few incidents.' He added that there 'should be no differences according to religion, creed or colour.'

The country’s new constitution would guarantee the rights of all Egyptians, he said, adding that there should be 'no difference between Muslims or Christians.'

Asked by IPS about Egypt’s role in Africa, Moussa said the new constitution should also 'determine that Egypt is part of Africa, and that Egypt’s role is equivalent or parallel to its role in the Arab world.'

Moussa seemed to skirt the issue of whether the constitution will be based on Sharia law. He said that Article 2 refers to the 'general principles of Sharia.' He insisted that Egyptians on the whole are calling for democracy and equal rights regardless of religion.

'Democracy is democracy,' he said. 'If you want to have democracy with restrictions, this is no democracy. Democracy through exclusion of some is not democracy. You cannot have your cake and eat it.'

On Israel, Moussa said that Egyptians and other Arabs were frustrated by the lack of progress on the Palestinian issue. He said that U.S. President Barack Obama was right to propose that a Palestinian state be established on 1967 borders with 'some exchange of land.'

Moussa said that because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had 'torpedoed everything' in this proposal, the negotiations would have to start all over again. (Netanyahu rejected the idea of Israel’s withdrawing to the 1967 lines, saying this would be 'indefensible' and would leave major Israeli population centres in Judea and Samaria beyond the lines).

'We need peace,' Moussa said. 'The situation is untenable after so many years.'

He told reporters that Egypt’s future foreign policy has to be a policy that 'works for peace, not for confrontation' as there was no going back to the old days.

'The ancient regime is finished, and finished for good,' he said.

Now 74, Moussa says that his international experience in representing Egypt and the Arab League makes him the right candidate at the right time, as turmoil continues in the region with the conflict in Libya and no signs of a resolution in Yemen and Syria.

'Egypt needs experience, especially at this very critical junction,' he said. 'We need the role and the admirable spirit of the young people, but we also need experience.'

He has been drumming up support among expatriate Egyptians in France and other countries with this line of reasoning, even as some critics dismiss his bid for the presidency saying that he is too old or too tied to the old regime.

But since the Arab uprisings began, Moussa has been much in focus as a spokesman for the region.

When France and other Western powers launched an attack in March on the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to enforce a United Nations no-fly-zone resolution, Moussa garnered international attention once more for publicly slamming the Western strikes.

He was criticised then for inconsistency because the Arab League had first expressed support for the no-fly zone. Moussa backtracked a day later amidst a clear reprimand from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Some critics said Moussa was playing to Muslim sentiment, with his eye already on the presidency.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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