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Mubarak’s
Absence from Summit Disappoints Saudis
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| Mubarak's
absence from the Summit is a much stronger statement than his
attending it, said Maher. |
By Muntasser Marei, IOL Beirut correspondent
BEIRUT,
March 27 (IslamOnline) – The Saudi delegation to the Arab Summit is
extremely disappointed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s sudden
absence from the meeting, summit sources told IslamOnline.
The
sources, which spoke on condition of anoymity, said Wednesday, March 27,
that Egypt’s absence indicates a change in its stance regarding the
Saudi peace-plan initiative despite having announced its complete
support of it.
“Egypt
has already expressed its support of the Saudi initiative; hence,
Egypt’s absence is uncalled for, especially in this critical time and
considering the importance of the issue Saudi Arabia has raised,” said
Jamal Khashukji, editor-in-chief of daily Saudi newspaper, Arab
News.
Khashukji
added that the Saudi initiative does not please the United States
because it includes articles that Israel does not agree to. The U.S., he
said, wants the return of peace to the region without reaching a
solution to the Palestinian crisis.
“Maybe
the Egyptian President was under U.S. pressure as well,” he said.
However, analysts have rejected the notion that Egypt has fallen under
any pressure, saying its absence was – on the contrary – meant to
avoid any U.S. pressure.
An
Egyptian analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told IslamOnline
that the real reason behind Mubarak’s absence was the Egyptian feeling
that the Unites States is shifting the focus of Arab politics from Egypt
to Saudi Arabia – a shift meant to sideline Egypt whose political
stands irritate the U.S. government. This, he said, is something that
Egypt and other Arab countries will not agree to.
Other
analysts said that Mubarak’s absence will have an effect on the
decisions which will be adopted by the summit.
Michel
Nofel, editor-in-chief of Lebanese daily newspaper, Al-Mustaqbal,
said the summit will not take any strong stances because of Egypt’s
absence despite the presence of other important countries such as Saudi
Arabia and Syria.
“Mubarak’s
absence is part of increasing pressure on the United States and Israel
to force them to take serious steps towards peace in the region,”
Nofel said.
Al-Safeer,
another Lebanese newspaper, quoted Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher
as saying that “absence from the summit is a much stronger statement
than attending it and Presidnet Arafat’s absence will increase the
importance of the Summit and could make it one of the most successful
summits because it will have to answer to these absences.”
Mubarak’s
absence, Maher added, could be invested in reinforcing what may come out
of the summit through its final draft resolution or through the complete
reinforcement of the Saudi initiative.
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