Israel, Egypt in conflict over FM's attendance in Euro-Med conference
Egypt refuses to attend EU conference with Mediterranean countries due to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's scheduled attendance. Date for meeting yet to be set; 'Egypt mainly hurts itself,' says Jerusalem diplomat
Israel and Egypt are in conflict over Cairo's objection to the participation of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in a European-Mediterranean conference attended by foreign ministers. Sources in Israel claimed on Monday that the Egyptian objection will be damaging for Cairo since the conference brings together 47 countries under the European Union's initiative.
A senior official in Jerusalem referred to Egypt as a "negative factor."
The Euro-Med conference was scheduled to take place next month in Turkey's Istanbul but is suffering delays, due in part to the Egyptian objection to Lieberman's attendance. Other Arab countries also oppose the foreign minister's participation in light of his political views.
Western diplomats are trying to reconcile between Egypt and Israel in order to find a solution to the problem. One proposal raised was to upgrade the level of representatives to heads of state, however it appears Israel will oppose such an option due to Egypt's opposition to Lieberman. A date for the conference has yet to set.
A senior diplomat in Jerusalem addressed the matter on Monday and said, "It’s a shame Egypt sets itself as a negative element and uses a conference meant to develop the region as a political weapon against Foreign Minister Lieberman."
The diplomat further added, "In doing so, Egypt is mainly hurting itself and incurs the anger of European nations. It is just one of 47 countries slated to attend the Euro-Med conference on the foreign minister level.
"The Europeans will not allow it to cancel the event just because of the Egyptian foreign minister's objection to Lieberman's participation."
Tensions between Jerusalem and Cairo began to build with Lieberman's nomination as foreign minister. In recent years the minister has targeted Egypt in a series of harsh statements.
During a speech in the Knesset plenum last year Lieberman said of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak: "He doesn't want to speak with us? Let him go to hell." On a separate occasion he threatened that should Egypt deploy military forces in Siani, Israel would bomb the Aswan Dam.
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman held a meeting with Lieberman during a visit to Israel, however Palestinian elements who were involved in the talks with Cairo noted that as far as Egypt was concerned the meeting only took place following extensive pressure on the part of the foreign minister and his team.
One Palestinian source added, "He will not be invited to Egypt before he apologizes before the Egyptian leadership and people."
