Egypt on Tuesday welcomed President George W. Bush's endorsement of a Palestinian state, with Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher saying it "opened the way for peace negotiations on a final status" of the Palestinian territories.
"This unequivocal declaration by the United States shows their determination to pursue active efforts for the implementation of the Mitchell report and is likely to open the way for final status negotiations," Maher told the official MENA news agency.
Bush, under fire from Arab states for his hands-off approach to the year-long Palestinian uprising and under pressure to lure moderate Arab and Muslim states into a global alliance against terrorism, told reporters earlier that creating a Palestinian state has "always" been on the US Middle East agenda.
Maher said Egypt welcomed Bush's remarks, adding "they consolidated chances of reaching a fair peace, which the Palestinians yearn for and which Egypt backs."
"We are expecting this declaration to have active effects and Israel to halt its aggression against the Palestinians and choose the path which leads straight to peace, justice and security for all peoples in the region," he added -- CAIRO (AFP)
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