Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday rejected the idea of imposing democracy in Iraq by force and said it would not lead to the democratization of the rest of the region.
In an annual speech in Cairo marking Labor Day, Mubarak said that imposing foreign standards on Iraq would not necessarily lead to democracy and reforms in the Arab and Islamic world or lessen fanaticism.
He said the perpetrators of such thinking were "intentionally ignoring ... that Arab nations are working hard to achieve democracy according to their own standards." "We reject the philosophy of imposing democracy by force," Mubarak said.
A newly elected government in Baghdad could increase trust between Iraq and other Arab governments which had been missing during President Saddam Hussein's rule, Mubarak said.
It could also pave the way for "establishing a new Arab system," including reviving a collective Arab security treaty under the umbrella of the Arab league, Mubarak aired. Mubarak also urged for a reformation of the United Nations.
"In fact, we need a comprehensive review for the international system standards ... to create one that is more respectable to states' sovereignty and cooperation," he said.
Mubarak also joined Syria in stressing the need for the Middle East to be a region free of weapons of mass destruction.
Also on Wednesday, Mubarak left for Sudan to hold several hours of talks with Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir, Egyptian officials said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
