Khalil Says Egypt Cannot Stop Others from Presenting Their Own Peace Plans

Egypt’s former Prime Minister, Mustopho Khalil, said today that while his country regards the Camp David accords as the basis of the Israeli-Egyptian peace process, it recognized that other countries were free to propose other approaches.

“I have to emphasize that we are bound by Camp David and we see that Camp David is a very valuable instrument that can achieve peace, and that peace is a kind of popular demand in the area, by the nations of the area,” Khalil said at a press conference here. He spoke after meeting with Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres who is hosting a delegation representing Egypt’s ruling National Democratic Party. Khalil, deputy chairman of the party, and Egypt’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Butros Ghali, head the delegation which arrived in Israel yesterday for a three day visit as guests of the Labor Party.

Referring to the Camp David accords and autonomy for Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Khalil said, “We cannot, as Egyptians, say to the whole world or to any country in the region, ‘do not come out with suggestions.’ We do not say ‘you have to accept Camp David, and you must accept it.’ But we must make our position clear. We say to them, ‘We believe Camp David is the right way to achieve peace.’ But in the meantime, I do not think we have the right to preempt the right of others to come up with something else.”

He added, “After signing the peace treaty, we are now concerned with full autonomy. Full autonomy according to Camp David would be very much enhanced if the Palestinians and the Jordanians would join in. I do sincerely hope that they will join the peace process, in their own interests and in the interests of peace in the area.”