SECRETARY-GENERAL'S VISIT TO EGYPT, 18-20 MARCH

26 March 1998

Press Release
SG/T/2121

SECRETARY-GENERAL'S VISIT TO EGYPT, 18-20 MARCH

19980326 Beginning the second leg of his tour in the Middle East region, the Secretary-General arrived in Cairo in the afternoon of Wednesday, 18 March.

In a short statement upon arrival, the Secretary-General thanked the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, and Foreign Minister Amre Moussa, for their cooperation and support in the resolution of the Iraqi crisis. He declared that he was looking forward to constructive discussions with the Egyptian leadership during the coming days.

That evening, Foreign Minister Moussa hosted a dinner in the Secretary- General's honour.

The Secretary-General's first meeting on Thursday, 19 March, was with Esmat Abdel Ahmed Meguid, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. They discussed the situation in Iraq, Libya and the Lockerbie case, the Middle East peace process, the efforts by Egypt and Ethiopia to negotiate a peace agreement among the warring factions of Somalia, and Egypt's support for efforts by the Organization for African Unity (OAU) regarding the Comoros. A joint press conference followed.

At midday, in the Presidential Palace, Mr. Annan met with President Mubarak, who accorded the Secretary-General with Head of State honours. Their meeting, which was also attended by both the Prime Minister, Kamal El Ganzoury, and the Foreign Minister, Amre Moussa, lasted for one hour. They held detailed discussions on the prospects for reviving the stalled Middle East peace process. Their talks also touched on Iraq, Libya and Somalia. After the meeting, the President hosted a luncheon in the Secretary-General's honour.

In the afternoon, the Secretary-General addressed about 100 local and international staff of United Nations agencies and programmes. He urged them to work closely together, to focus on people, not paper, and to mainstream human rights in their work.

Later in the day the Secretary-General held detailed talks at the Foreign Ministry with Foreign Minister Moussa. Their discussions included a wide range of regional and international issues, centring on recent developments in the Middle East region. The meeting was followed by a joint press conference. In the evening, the Secretary-General attended a dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Moussa.

The Secretary-General and his party left for Beirut in the morning of Friday, 20 March. * *** *