U.S. Department of State
96/11/12 Remarks following meeting with President Mubarak, Egypt
Office of the Spokesman



                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE
                        OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN

                            (Cairo, Egypt)

________________________________________________________________________


                              Remarks by
                Secretary of State Warren Christopher

                          Ittihadiya Palace
                             Cairo, Egypt

                          November 12, 1996



Mr. President (Mubarak), thank you very much for those generous 
comments.  I've always appreciated not only your hospitality, but your 
commitment to the peace process and building a better Middle East.  

I want to thank the President for hosting this third Middle East-North 
African Economic Summit.  It is clear that this is going to be a 
successful meeting.  There are more U.S. businessmen of a higher ranking 
than have attended prior conferences.   I am told there are more 
businessmen and women here from throughout the world than in prior 
conferences and that I think is due to the leadership of President 
Mubarak and the fact that the Egyptian economy is beckoning to business 
people from the United States and around the world who want to come to 
this conference.  

The president and I have discussed as we usually do the peace process, 
and I know that Egypt will continue to play its indispensable role being 
the first country to reach a peace agreement with Israel and now helping 
to lead the way with other countries in the peace process.  Mr. 
President, thank you for your generous words and thank you for the 
commitment that has caused you to hold this economic conference and 
assist in the peace process.  Thank you very much.  


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