[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
[April 5, 1995]
[Pages 463-470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's News Conference With President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt
April 5, 1995

    President Clinton. Good afternoon. Please be seated. As always, it's 
a great pleasure to have President Mubarak back at the White House. For 
14 years, he has been a valued friend and partner to the United States. 
He was one of the first foreign leaders to visit me here after I became 
President, and I began my trip to the Middle East last fall by visiting 
him in Cairo to seek his counsel. Under his wise leadership, Egypt has 
been an ally, as well as a source of stability in the region and 
throughout the world.
    In the last 2 years, we've witnessed the dawn of a new era in the 
Middle East. Without President Mubarak's tireless efforts on behalf of 
peace, these landmark achievements would not have occurred. Thanks to 
his persistence, the promise of Camp David, where Egypt took its stand 
against war, has been redeemed. In the months and years ahead, we will 
continue to look to President Mubarak to play a vital role in broadening 
the circle of peace. We're determined to do everything we can meanwhile 
to deepen our own partnership for peace and prosperity.
    He and his government have already made great strides toward 
reforming and restructuring the Egyptian economy. I got a very 
impressive report on the progress that has been made at the luncheon we 
just concluded. But more is necessary to stimulate the economy so that 
it can provide good jobs and a future of hope for the hundreds of 
thousands of young people who enter the Egyptian work force every year.
    The United States is committed to helping. Vice President Gore just 
returned from his second visit to Egypt in the last 6 months. On my 
behalf, he began a dialog for growth and development with President 
Mubarak that is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. Today he and I 
have taken another step forward in this partnership by meeting with the 
new members of our Presidents' Council at their first gathering. These 
top American and Egyptian

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businessmen will advise us on several vital issues: expanding the 
private sector, building stronger commercial ties between our peoples, 
creating better conditions to attract United States investment to Egypt.
    We're also working together to bring more prosperity and stability 
to the entire region, efforts that are essential for peace to establish 
firm roots. We reaffirmed our support for greater regional cooperation 
and development, especially the economic initiative that began at the 
Casablanca summit. We also had a good discussion about the need to lift 
the boycott of Israel and ways to accomplish this as soon as possible.
    Egypt and the United States share a determination to confront and to 
defeat all those who would undermine peace and security through the use 
of terror and weapons of mass destruction. President Mubarak told me of 
Egypt's regional proliferation concerns and of its commitment to a 
strong, universal Non-Proliferation Treaty and to a Middle East that is 
free of all weapons of mass destruction. The United States shares those 
goals.
    To create the confidence and security that will make those aims a 
reality, we must continue to do all we can to bring a comprehensive and 
lasting peace to the Middle East. For the same reason, I believe we must 
ensure that the NPT is strong and as enduring as possible. Indefinite 
and unconditional extension of NPT is vital to achieving the goals that 
we both share.
    When President Mubarak and I first met here 2 years ago, he told me 
that together we could help to make a just and comprehensive peace in 
the Middle East. He was right. We have worked side by side to fulfill 
that vision. Doing so, we have deepened the friendship between our two 
nations. Our goal is now within grasp, and America is proud to be 
Egypt's partner on this great mission.
    Mr. President.
    President Mubarak. Thank you. Once again I meet with my good friend 
President Clinton in order to pursue our joint endeavor for the benefit 
of our two nations.
    We discussed all issues of mutual interest in the spirit of 
friendship, candor, and mutual confidence. Our views were similar on 
various issues. Our paramount commitment is to strengthen the structure 
of world peace and security and to promote cooperation among nations. 
Our two countries are destined to play a pivotal role throughout the 
world and in their regions, respectively. We are determined to pursue 
our mission with vigor and determination. We realize that the challenge 
is awesome, but our commitment to our noble goals is firm, and quite 
firm.
    President Clinton, together we worked tirelessly for decades to 
promote peace and security in the Middle East. We achieve tangible 
success year after year, and we remain determined to pursue this goal 
until a just and comprehensive peace is reached throughout the area. We 
should never allow enemies of peace to threaten the gains which were 
made in the recent past. We will never hesitate to condemn terrorism and 
all forms of violence. Our aim is to eliminate the sources of hatred and 
conflict.
    As we move to cement the structure of peace and security in the 
Middle East, we should do our utmost in order to remove all potential 
threats. Our purpose is to build together a new future of hope and 
promise for this troubled region. With this in mind, I deemed it 
necessary to propose in 1990 the establishment of a Middle East free of 
all weapons of mass destruction. My objective was and still is to make 
every Arab and Israeli feel more secure and less worried about the 
future and that of his children.
    I explained to President Clinton and his able assistants our 
position on the NPT. We remain among the most enthusiastic supporters of 
the treaty. We consider it one of the pillars of the stable world order. 
Hence, we would like to reinforce the moral authority of the NPT. By the 
same token, we have a certain concern which emanates from the existence 
of nuclear programs in our region.
    Our view is that since peace is spreading throughout the region, all 
the parts ought to work together towards the elimination of the 
potential threats, especially the spreading of nuclear, chemical, and 
biological weapons. This is the true application of the principle of the 
universality and adherence to the NPT. All states of the region should 
realize that it serves in their own interests to accede to the treaty. 
Unless this is done, no one would have control over the spread of such 
lethal weapons in a fragile and vulnerable region which has suffered 
long enough from war and devastation.
    We propose, for our common good, to achieve that through serious but 
friendly negotiations between Egypt, and perhaps other Arab countries, 
and Israel. It is our sincere hope that Israel will approach this issue 
in a positive and

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constructive spirit. The U.S., under the leadership of President 
Clinton, can help attain this objective.
    Our bilateral relations, Mr. President, are excellent. We work 
together in various fields in harmony and mutual trust. As we have been 
partners in peace and security, we are establishing a new solid 
partnership for economic growth and development. Thanks to President 
Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, we have developed a new concept for 
this partnership. The idea is to stimulate growth and productivity. It 
is vital to create jobs for our young people. We shall do that through 
promoting trade and investment.
    We have already begun the implementation of this concept, and we are 
determined to make it a success story. We are encouraging the private 
sector to play a major role in this endeavor. As you know, our economy 
is becoming more and more business-friendly. This is a cornerstone of 
our economic reform program. We are fully committed to pursue this 
reform until it bears fruit.
    In conclusion, I would like to thank President Clinton for his warm 
reception and hospitality. We are most appreciative of the understanding 
and the cooperation we have been receiving from every American. We will 
leave this great country with a renewed assurance of the solidity of the 
friendship and the depth of our cooperation.
    Thank you, Mr. President.
    President Clinton. Thank you.
    I'd like to alternate questions now between the American and the 
Egyptian press. We'll start with Ms. Santos [Lori Santos, United Press 
International].

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

    Q. Mr. President, did President Mubarak assure you that he will sign 
the extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and stop urging 
other Arab nations not to sign unless Israel does?
    President Clinton. Let me tell you the position that I took on it. 
And I think I'll let President Mubarak speak for himself. We believe 
that the NPT should be universal. And we believe that the Middle East 
should be free of all weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, biological, 
chemical. We also believe that cannot be accomplished overnight and that 
Egypt and Israel, as the first two parties to make peace in the Middle 
East, should work on this together. And I'm encouraged that the Foreign 
Ministers, Mr. Moussa and Mr. Peres, are going to meet soon on this 
issue.
    The reason we believe, however, that we should vote for an NPT 
extension that is indefinite, without regard to whether every country in 
the world that we think should be in the NPT is in it, is that it seems 
to us that with the indefinite extension of the NPT, that will allay a 
lot of the security concerns of countries that are not in it and 
encourage them to get in it, whereas if we don't indefinitely extend it, 
then countries that are not fully participating may think they should 
hedge their bets for the future. So that's our policy; that's why we 
support it and why we hope it will prevail.
    Mr. President, would you----
    President Mubarak. I would like to say something about the NPT. In 
1968, we were one of the 18 countries who participated in drafting the 
agreement of the NPT. We are supporting the NPT. We know that the NPT is 
for the welfare of the whole world in the new world order. And we know 
it's very important that all parties should join the NPT. We are working 
very hard for that, and we will never withdraw from the NPT--just to 
make sure of what you may mean that way.

Egypt-Israel Relations

    Q. President Mubarak, the new peace between Jordan and Israel is 
warming up fast. The first peace between Israel and Egypt is still 
somewhat chilly. Will you come to Israel for the first time and 
personally warm it up so we can move ahead together?
    President Mubarak. Jordan has about 3 million population, Egypt 
about 60 million. Jordan and Israel are living with each other, let us 
be very realistic and frank, long time ago. They have so many 
Palestinians here and there. But believe me, without the key of peace 
which was started by late President Sadat, I don't think that neither 
Jordan nor Palestinian would have the courage or would have thought of 
opening peace with this country.
    Peace is not cold, as some people could say, but sometimes it's 
affected by a statement here or there. But believe me, there is much 
more progress on the cooperation with the Israelis between Israel and 
Egypt now. And this is the cornerstone.

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    President Clinton. Someone from the Egyptian press.
    Q. Mr. President----
    President Clinton. Go ahead.
    Q. As the national security is top priority for the United States 
and Egypt and we are friends and allies, how can the United States help 
Egypt to secure its national security while there are nuclear weapons at 
its borders, a few kilometers from its borders? And my question is to 
both Presidents.
    President Clinton. Well, I will restate what I said before. I 
believe that we--Egypt's security is best served in terms of what the 
United States can do in three ways, first of all, by continuing the 
general search to rid the entire region of all kinds of weapons of mass 
destruction. And we realize that we deal with the history and the facts 
of the countries as we find them, that it cannot be done overnight, but 
that that must be our goal and we must be working on that. And universal 
application of NPT is one of the ways we think that should be done.
    The second thing is a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. If we 
can resolve the issues still outstanding among the other countries in 
the Middle East, that clearly will help to bolster Egypt's security.
    Then the third thing I think we can do is what we are doing here by 
trying to strengthen our economic ties, so that the reform policies that 
have been adopted by President Mubarak and his government will be 
rewarded and people who live inside Egypt will feel more personally 
secure with their own opportunities.
    I think all those things have to be pursued, but I don't think that 
we can--any of us can pretend that we can do it without regard to the 
past history of the countries involved.
    President Mubarak. I think I agree to all of what President Clinton 
already mentioned, and I have nothing to add more than that.
    Q. Mr. President----
    President Clinton. Go ahead, Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press].

CIA and Guatemala

    Q. Mr. President, the Senate is holding hearings today on CIA 
dealings in Guatemala, and I know that you've ordered an investigation. 
Can you say if the CIA's activities were appropriate in Guatemala, and 
were the White House and Congress kept fully and properly informed?
    President Clinton. Well, I cannot answer the questions fully until I 
see the investigation. I think both those questions are--they're still 
open questions. I wish I could say absolutely yes to both of them. But 
because I can't say, with absolute conviction, yes to both of them, I 
have ordered an investigation that, as you know, is reasonably unusual 
in its scope and in terms of who's doing it. And so, I'm going to keep 
working until we get to the bottom of it. And then when I do, I'll give 
you the best answer I can.
    Yes, ma'am.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Egypt and the United States have played a pivotal role in the 
peace process since its inception. What, in your views, are--this is for 
both Presidents--the steps that should be taken by all parties concerned 
to further the peace process, especially that the Israeli and the 
American elections are soon, close?
    President Clinton. Do you want to go first? [Laughter]
    President Mubarak. As you like.
    About the peace process, you know there is a Declaration of 
Principles, first of all, with the Palestinians, and we consider that, 
the Palestinian problem, the main problem in the whole Middle East 
issue.
    The implementation may be a little bit lagging behind, because some 
terroristic action taking place--[inaudible]--and the Israelis are 
looking for their security. My proposal is--and I spoke with Mr. Arafat 
and Mr. Rabin--they should both cooperate. The two authorities should 
cooperate to avoid all this terroristic action, because if we surrender 
to these people, they will feel it is a success for them and the whole 
peace process will be a failure. I think both understand this very well, 
and I hope that they could do well in that direction and to continue the 
implementation of the Declaration of Principles.
    If it is in the course of the Syrians, I know that the Syrians are 
now negotiating on the level of ambassadors here. I hope that there will 
be progress in the future. I am very sure that President Asad want reach 
a settlement to the problem and want sign--to reach an agreement, peace 
agreement with Israel.
    President Clinton. I agree with the points that have been made. I 
would only make two other points. With regard to the Palestinians, it's 
also

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important that we try to resolve--as we resolve the security issues, 
that we try to work on getting economic investment back into Gaza and to 
Jericho, so that there is some opportunity for people there, some 
alternative to the destructive behavior that many are urging.
    And with regard to the Syrians, I agree with what President Mubarak 
said, but--I think President Asad does want peace, and I think Prime 
Minister Rabin wants peace, but I think it is important that they reach 
an agreement fairly soon for the reasons that you said.
    And let me say further, let me reiterate something I said in my 
opening statement. I think we've got a good chance to keep implementing 
the principles, with all the difficulties the Palestinians are having. I 
think we've got a good chance to reach an agreement with Syria and 
Israel. And I don't think either thing would happen if it weren't for 
the intense involvement of both the United States and Egypt.
    Go ahead.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

    Q. This is a question for both of you. Are you saying that it would 
be acceptable if Israel would agree to sign the NPT at some point in the 
future, say, at the time a comprehensive Middle East peace is reached?
    President Clinton. Well, I think President Mubarak should answer 
that, since it's really a question about whether it would be acceptable 
from his point of view. My position is that all countries should joint 
the NPT; that the Middle East should be free of all weapons of mass 
destruction, nuclear, biological and chemical; that that objective will 
be more easily achieved, notwithstanding the differences between Israel 
and the other countries, if we have an indefinite extension. That is the 
position of the United States and the position that I strongly believe 
to be the correct one. At any rate, I hope we'll be able to prevail with 
that position when the vote comes with a healthy majority.
    The President of Egypt has his own views and convictions, and what 
he said is absolutely true: Egypt has been a complete and consistent 
supporter of the NPT regime from its inception. So I think I should let 
him answer for himself.
    President Mubarak. We have no problem even with the United States 
concerning the NPT, as I have already mentioned before. The NPT--as I 
said, we were one of the 18 countries who drafted, participated in the 
draft. The point is, there is peace in the area. Egypt signed peace 
agreement, and we are in peace with Israel. Jordan signed peace 
agreement. Palestinian Declaration of Principles has been implemented 
now. Syria is on its way to reach an agreement. So there will be peace 
in the whole area.
    So I don't think that Israel will be in need for any nuclear weapons 
in the future. But we are negotiating this issue to find any kind of 
formula to be agreed upon. We are not asking them to join the NPT now or 
tomorrow. We would like to know what we are going to do just for our 
national security. I think the ministers are going to meet tomorrow. I 
hope, with the help of the United States, we could narrow the gap and 
reach something concerning this issue.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. My question is for President Clinton. The Middle East continues 
to give rise to cynicism regarding the wider peace. Do you think that 
this might be due to lack of forceful American engagement?
    President Clinton. Because of the continuing problems?
    Q. Yes, because of the feeling that nothing is happening.
    President Clinton. Well, first of all, a very great deal has 
happened in the last 2 years, and more than at any time in the last 15 
years since the Camp David accords. So we have accomplished a great 
deal. We're about half of the way home toward a complete resolution of 
it.
    The Secretary of State just got back from the Middle East. The Vice 
President has been to Egypt twice in the last 6 months. I am sending 
another envoy out today. I have been in regular and extensive contact 
with President Asad and Prime Minister Rabin, who was just here to see 
me recently. So we are working at it very, very hard.
    I was concerned and, frankly, I would have agreed with a little bit 
of your question until about a month ago. About a month ago we got some 
new energy, some new direction, some new sense that both parties were 
really committed to trying to resolve this in the reasonably near 
future. So I'm more optimistic now, and I just think we have to keep 
working and people have to believe that there is not an unlimited amount 
of time within which to resolve this before other factors intervene.

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    Wolf [Wolf Blitzer, Cable News Network].

104th Congress

    Q. Mr. President, if I could ask you a domestic question. The 100 
days of the Republican Contract is about to end. Could you give us your 
assessment of these 100 days, what lessons have you learned, and where 
are you planning to go from here?
    President Clinton. Well, I think, for one thing, I thought it got 
off to a pretty good start. From my point of view and my convictions, 
it's not ending as well as it started, because I don't agree with this 
tax bill. But it got off to a good start. The first three issues that 
were really taken up in earnest were issues that I also campaigned on: 
Applying to Congress the same laws they apply to the private sector--
that's been passed and I've signed it; reducing the ability of the 
Federal Government to pass mandates on to State and local governments 
that cost the taxpayers there--I've signed that into law and I applaud 
the Congress for doing that; and both Houses have passed a version of 
the line-item veto, which I think is badly needed to control unnecessary 
spending. So those things I think are quite good.
    In terms of a lot of the other measures which have made their way 
through the House, I think it depends on what the Senate does to them in 
terms of whether I think they're good for America. I do not believe that 
it's wise to have a tax cut of this magnitude where--with the deficit 
we've got and with our need to invest in our future and our children, 
where one percent of the people get 20 percent of the benefits and 12 
percent of the people get half of the benefits, and in order to pay for 
it we run the risk of exploding the deficit or devastating our 
commitment to our children, to our educational system, and to our 
support for families, all of which are critical to our future economic 
growth.
    I mean, we don't want to go back to trickle-down economics here 
under another term. The reason I ran for President was to get out of the 
old fight between tax-and-spend economics and trickle-down economics. I 
wanted to invest and grow the economy. So we reduced the deficit and 
increased our investment in education and technology and our efforts in 
trade. That economic strategy is working to lift Americans' incomes. Now 
we have to add an educational component. And this tax approach is just 
wrong in my judgment.
    So I'm going to keep working. Let's see what happens in the next 100 
days and the 100 days after that and the 100 days after that. But our 
goals should be to lift the future prospects of the American people and 
grow the middle class again. And that's my assessment at this point.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. President Clinton, in the serious effort that your administration 
is dedicating to our Israeli-Palestinian peace, you are to be commended 
and your administration. And in the attempt to assist the Palestinian 
Authority in receiving the needed funds to build its infrastructure, can 
you please call, you and President Mubarak, on the Israeli Government 
and Mr. Rabin to end the closure of the Gaza Strip and the territories 
and allow more workers to enter Israel seeking employment as a way of 
injecting more funds in Gaza and the West Bank and all of the 
territories and help improve the economic conditions of the Palestinians 
that you are also working hard on that? Thank you.
    President Clinton. We talked about this at some length together. I 
think it's the toughest issue, frankly, that we face between the 
Israelis and the Palestinians for this reason. When the borders were 
open, it made Israel more vulnerable to terrorism. When innocent people 
are killed, it undermines support in Israel for the peace process and 
weakens the government's ability to go forward. When the borders are 
closed, the incomes of the Palestinian people drop dramatically, and it 
makes young people more vulnerable to the appeals of the terrorists.
    So it is an almost insoluble problem in that sense. It is the most 
difficult problem. And it is--obviously, the enemies of peace know this, 
and they seek to be rewarded whether the borders are open or the borders 
are closed. They think they will get their reward.
    So I would say to you that I wish I had an easy answer. We are 
working on this problem. We are certainly talking to the Israelis about 
it. But it is the most difficult aspect of this process. And it is 
something that we have to be--I'm very sympathetic with the Palestinians 
who are within Gaza, and with the instability there, which undermines 
our ability to get, for example, Palestinian-Americans to invest there.

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    On the other hand, I understand Prime Minister Rabin's situation. I 
saw what it did to Israel when these acts of terror started occurring 
again, what it did to the psychology of the people, their feeling of 
confidence that peace could make a difference for them. So I won't 
presume to give you a final answer today, except to say I am very 
focused on this, and I know that this is the toughest part of the 
problem and that we're going to have to resolve it.
    President Mubarak. I think what--we discussed this at length with 
President Clinton and we had long talks about it, realizing the 
situation will be much more difficult in Jericho and the Gaza because 
the income of the people nearly stopped. And we're wondering how are 
they going to live. And this may complicate the whole situation. That's 
why we have--already I have contact Mr. Rabin several times, and I spoke 
with Arafat. They should find a way for these people to have their 
income. Otherwise we'll return to terrorists, as the President already 
said, and it will be very difficult after that to solve the problem 
because complications will continue and the terrorist groups will feel 
that they succeed.
    President Clinton. Brian [Brian Williams, NBC News].

President's Role in the Legislative Process

    Q. Mr. President, one more domestic question. I'm curious as to your 
role over the next 100 days. Do you see it changing from that of 
dissenter to something, for lack of a better word, more proactive, more 
proactive legislatively?
    President Clinton. Well, we were quite active in the--first of all, 
I agreed with--let me go back to the three areas which have passed. With 
regard to the bill applying to Congress the laws they put on the private 
sector, there was no activity for us to undertake, since I agree with 
the bill as it was drafted by the congressional leadership.
    With regard to the bill on unfunded mandates, we were quite active 
in the Senate there and in the conference committee to try to get a bill 
which would permit us to protect the national interest and still give 
relief to State and local governments.
    And with regard to the line-item veto, I personally lobbied a number 
of Democratic Senators very hard to make sure that we would be able to 
get a line-item veto through the Senate so we could go to conference and 
get one to my desk. Now, as I said, all three of those things I have 
worked very hard on.
    All the other contract items that have passed with which I disagree, 
we are working in the United States Senate and we will work in the 
conference committee to try to get bills that are consistent with the 
principles that I hold to my desk so that I can sign them, not veto 
them. I do not want a pile of vetoes.
    In the next 100 days, you're going to see a very exciting debate 
about welfare reform, something I've been involved in for 15 years. I 
have laid out my principles very, very clearly on that. You're going to 
see a debate about the larger budget that will run for the next 6 
months, I think, in which I have very strong feelings about what we 
should be doing. I hope that I can focus the attention of the Congress 
on the need to lift the incomes of the American people, which means that 
if we're going to have a tax cut it ought to be for middle-class people 
to raise their children and educate themselves and their children, 
because that will raise incomes over the long run. And I hope I'll be 
able to persuade the Congress to raise the minimum wage. So I think I'll 
be involved in this debate with Congress.
    Meanwhile, we're going to be pursuing our efforts to reform 
Government that we can do through the executive branch and our efforts 
to expand the American economy and our efforts to make the American 
people more secure. We will be pursuing those things just as we always 
have. And it will be a very exciting time.
    I'm enjoying this, but I'm determined to see that the American 
people come out the winner. I do not want us to go back to trickle-down 
economics and to go back to the old debate, which is we should spend 
more on everything or less on everything. The less-on-everything crowd 
now has a majority in the Congress. What we should do is spend less on 
some things and more on some things and invest in things that will grow 
our economy and raise our incomes.
    So I'm looking forward to being part of this debate. And I'm 
determined to see that it's a positive thing for the American people.
    One more question from an Egyptian.

Antiterrorism Efforts

    Q. Mr. President, Egypt has been--has a very good record combating 
and containing terrorism inside the country. What could the neighbors

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of Egypt in North Africa and the Middle East learn from the Egyptian 
experience?
    President Mubarak. This question to me?
    Q. Yes.
    President Mubarak. Each country has its own tradition, its own way 
of living, its own way of dealing with the problems. We could manage to 
put down all the terroristic action to a great extent by law. We are not 
violating the law. Our neighbors, they have different characters, 
different situation, and they have their own idea that could make a good 
estimation of a situation to adopt what decision which could suit them 
to put an end to terrorism that's completely different from ours.
    President Clinton. Thank you.

Note: The President's 91st news conference began at 2:44 p.m. in the 
East Room at the White House. During the news conference, the following 
persons were referred to: Minister of Foreign Affairs Amre Mahmoud 
Moussa of Egypt, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres of Israel, Palestine 
Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat, Prime Minister Yitzhak 
Rabin of Israel, and President Hafiz al-Asad of Syria.