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U.S. President George Bush and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at a press conference Wednesday. (AP) Last update - 18:21 16/01/2008 Mubarak to Bush: Palestinian issue is core of Mideast conflict By News Agencies Tags: Egypt, Hosni Mubarak  The Palestinian question is the core of conflict in the Middle East and Egypt very much hopes for a peace deal by January 2009, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Wednesday during talks with U.S. President George W. Bush in Sharm el-Sheikh. Mubarak told reporters he updated Bush on Egypt's position that "the Palestinian question, of course, is the core of problems and conflict in the Middle East, and it is the entry to contain the crisis and tension in the region, and the best means to face what's going on in the world, and our region - I mean by that, the escalation of violence, extremism and terrorism." "I emphasized through our presentations the Egyptian situation, underscoring and supporting peace, and our aspirations that Mr. Bush follows up on negotiations between both Israeli and Palestinian sides, and also said that I wish to reach a peace agreement before the end of his term." Advertisement During their talks, Bush prodded Mubarak to cede more freedom and applauded the work of journalists, bloggers and judges seeking independence from interference. On the final stop of a long Middle East tour, Bush said that such civil society voices had taken the lead in promoting freedom in the Arab world's most populous country. "Progress toward greater political openness is being led by the Egyptians themselves, by pioneering journalists ... bloggers or judges insisting on independence," he said in a statement at an appearance alongside Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "You (Egyptians) have taken steps towards ... democratic reform, and my hope is that the Egyptian government will build on these important steps and give the people of this proud nation a greater voice in your future," he added. Bush's remarks evoked his administration's vigorous campaign in 2005 to bring about political change in Egypt, where Mubarak has been in power for 26 years and where his son Gamal is widely expected to succeed him. That campaign helped persuade Mubarak to allow the country's first multi-candidate presidential elections in 2005, which he won. His main opponent in that race, liberal Ayman Nour, was later jailed on what he says are fabricated fraud charges. In parliamentary elections the same year the opposition Muslim Brotherhood won one fifth of the seats in parliament. Analysts said that after the strong Islamist showing, Washington stopped pressing Mubarak so hard on democracy. Bush did not mention the subsequent crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, which has had up to several hundred members at a time in detention without charge or trial. The crackdown also put an end to a campaign by judges for more independence from the executive. Some of them had spoken out against abuses and irregularities in the elections, which they had a constitutional duty to supervise. The authorities have also targeted journalists, at least 11 of whom have been sentenced to jail terms since last September in connection with their writings. None of them are yet in jail because their cases have gone to appeal. The police have harassed several Egyptian bloggers, human rights groups say. One of them, Abdel Karim Suleiman, is serving a four-year jail term for insulting Mubarak and making blasphemous comments. Bush's stop in Egypt was one of the shortest of his tour, at less than three hours, and many Egyptians said the brevity reflected a decline in U.S. interest in Egypt. Related articles: Egyptian FM says Israel incited U.S. Congress to withhold aid Egypt fails to persuade the U.S. Congress to unfreeze fundsINE U.S. Congressman: Egypt boosts effort to thwart Gaza smuggling Bookmark to del.icio.us   My three homelands French Vogue chose Lizzie Doron as one of Israel's influential authors. President Barghouti Jailed Tanzim leader says he's considering running in next PA presidential elections.   1.   The creator of Gitmo prison camp gives lectures on democracy 16:19  |  Natallie Durson 16/01/08   2.   NO PEACE EVER! 17:27  |  Wandering Jew 16/01/08   3.   "Bush can stop already with the ..." 17:32  |  Rowan Berkeley 16/01/08   4.   The Real Core 17:51  |  utagawa 16/01/08   5.   Call the Copts ! 17:59  |  Mike 16/01/08   6.   Nu, what else is new? 18:01  |  Buzaglow 16/01/08   7.   Mubarak and GWB on Democracy....! 18:21  |  Stephen. 16/01/08   8.   Upside-Down Logic 18:23  |  leon 16/01/08   9.   zionist attemp to turn all morality on its head claiming gawd 18:29  |  gave them land 16/01/08   10.   Arab anti Semitism is real core of problem 18:29  |  GZLives 16/01/08   11.   BS!!!! 18:33  |  MarkC 16/01/08   12.   Core of what region are the 750,000 dead Black Africans in Dafur? 18:58  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/01/08   13.   to wandering Jew no2 19:01  |  Tina 16/01/08   14.   Utagawa you just touched upon the root cause of ME&world conflict 19:07  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/01/08   15.   Arab invaders and occupiers do not have rights 19:11  |  send them to Arabia 16/01/08   16.   #2 sounds more like a wandering/wondering idiot 19:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/01/08   17.   # 1 Fatmeh, your arabic world is 100x worse than any Gitmo... 19:30  |  Misha 16/01/08   18.   just look down this list of haters, war mongers, liars for zion 19:36  |  muslim 16/01/08   19.   #1, you are right and there other missing point. Peace Must Happ 19:47  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   20.   to #1 with fixing the spelling. Sorry 19:50  |  Simon 16/01/08   21.   This Olmert Gov`t lost its conscience , 19:57  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   22.   Arab-Muslim World Extremism is the core of Mideast conflict 20:00  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   23.   The Pal Question is one Angle of Arab-Muslim World Extrtemism 20:04  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   24.   Mubarak Bull Crap 20:05  |  Brod 16/01/08   25.   the escalation of violence, extremism and terrorism rest entirely 20:12  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   26.   Arab-Muslim World Exploit pal question only to undermine Israel 20:18  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   27.   Sorry to burst your bubbles #1,18,19 - You lost the Jihad on 9/11 20:22  |  Genuine Tosefta 16/01/08   28.   TO Natallie Durson #1 20:27  |  Steve Beikirch 16/01/08   29.   Very wise words from Mubarak 20:28  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/01/08   30.   Israel`enemies want Israel behind the 49 Cease Fire Lines 20:37  |  Joseph E . 16/01/08   31.   30. actually joey i want you all to move back to russia 21:11  |  muslim 16/01/08   32.   26. yes Joey!!! the palestinians should queitly accept 21:14  |  muslim 16/01/08   33.   Mubarak to Bush: Palestinian issue is core of Mideast conflict 21:15  |  Martiin List,M.D. 16/01/08   34.   #27 it looks to me that you are one of the missing Hijaker 21:16  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   35.   Then make peace MUBARAK! 21:18  |  Jeff 16/01/08   36.   My Comment #19 was for #2 NOT #1. mistake 21:18  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   37.   #3 21:23  |  Jane 16/01/08   38.   ENTIRE CONFLICT EXPAINED IN LESS THAN 20 LiNES 21:50  |  G. Marcus 16/01/08   39.   Mubarak`s love affair with Ahmadinejad is just as crucial. 21:56  |  Fortuna Benmayor 16/01/08   40.   with Islamic Fundamentalism as a leesor concern??? 22:08  |  Avi 16/01/08   41.   Fyi - Nothing will save Mubarak from his own.. 22:24  |  Avi 16/01/08   42.   Mubarak has everything under control where anything goes 22:35  |  Avi 16/01/08   43.   Mubarrak himself is an issue 22:45  |  Gene 16/01/08   44.   To muslim #18 22:47  |  Avi 16/01/08   45.   THE ESSENCE OF DOUBLESPEAK 23:09  |  Brant 16/01/08   46.   to 38, What your holey tell you about the next holey 23:10  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   47.   just to make my self clear. I am against the fondamentalist and 23:11  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   48.   to 44. of course they are, but can you tell us 23:14  |  Simon Mohammed 16/01/08   49.   Muslim you are wrong..... 23:18  |  David James Vickery 16/01/08   50.   to Natallie Durson # 1 23:44  |  dovale 16/01/08   51.   same old lies from arab world 23:51  |  dale 16/01/08   52.   #34 you cannot see well,you are blinded by eating too much harisa 00:03  |  Genuine Tosefta 17/01/08   53.   #29 Linthwaite - you have an odd view on things 00:13  |  *BEN JABO 17/01/08   54.   Islamism is core of Mideast conflict 00:40  |  Hal 17/01/08   55.   Tell it to the Sudanese 00:43  |  Polybios 17/01/08   56.   Sudanese refugees will not agree... 00:57  |  Polybios 17/01/08   57.   were my comment offending or hard to get? 01:28  |  Simon Mohammed 17/01/08   58.   Palestine is the excuse not the issue 01:40  |  Chaim Gorenstein 17/01/08   59.   47#your excuse that become an issue with respect 02:09  |  Simon Mohammed 17/01/08   60.   The arab fabricated palestinian issue is, supposedly, 02:20  |  Joseph E . 17/01/08   61.   TO Chaim Gorenstein #47 03:12  |  Steve Beikirch 17/01/08   62.   Mubarek and Bush. Peas in a pod! 03:32  |  Maureen Ann 17/01/08   63.   ARAB APARTHEID IS AT THE CORE OF THE CONFLICT 05:43  |  Lou Knee 17/01/08

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