Condoleezza Rice, Robert Gates arrive in Egypt to persuade Arabs

SHARM EL-SHEIKH – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Egypt yesterday with promises of weapons for allies in the Middle East, saying it would help counter al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

Rice and Gates, who are also due to visit Saudi Arabia, planned to urge their Arab friends to do more to help the United States over Iraq but dismissed suggestions arms worth tens of billions of dollars were a quid pro quo to get that assistance. The military aid package on offer to Egypt is $13 billion over 10 years, the same level as for at least the last six years.But Washington is offering Israel an increase of about 25 per cent – to $30 billion over the next 10 years.”This is not an issue of quid pro quo.We are working with these states to fight back extremism,” said Rice, who spoke to reporters en route and before leaving Washington.”We all have the same interest in a stable Iraq that can defend itself …and be unified,” she added.The United States has repeatedly sought Arab help with Iraq although its Arab allies have little or no say there.Saudi Arabia has some weight with Sunni Arab tribal leaders.Privately, Bush administration officials are increasingly frustrated at Saudi Arabia’s attitude towards the Iraqi government, dominated by Shi’ite Muslims linked with Iran, but Rice sought to play down that criticism.She praised Saudi Arabia for offering debt relief to Baghdad and for attempting to better secure its border with Iraq.The US military package includes weapons for Saudi Arabia and the other conservative Gulf countries but the US officials have not said whether this would be mostly sales.Saudi Arabia usually pays for its US weapons.Rice said: “This effort will help bolster forces of moderation and support a broader strategy to counter the negative influences of al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.”Iran has criticised the promise of arms, accusing the United States of trying to create fear and mistrust in the Middle East and of aiming to destabilise the region.”If there is a destabilisation of the region it can be laid at the feet of an Iranian regime,” said Rice.”This is a positive agenda in the Middle East.”Nampa-ReutersThe military aid package on offer to Egypt is $13 billion over 10 years, the same level as for at least the last six years.But Washington is offering Israel an increase of about 25 per cent – to $30 billion over the next 10 years.”This is not an issue of quid pro quo.We are working with these states to fight back extremism,” said Rice, who spoke to reporters en route and before leaving Washington.”We all have the same interest in a stable Iraq that can defend itself …and be unified,” she added.The United States has repeatedly sought Arab help with Iraq although its Arab allies have little or no say there.Saudi Arabia has some weight with Sunni Arab tribal leaders.Privately, Bush administration officials are increasingly frustrated at Saudi Arabia’s attitude towards the Iraqi government, dominated by Shi’ite Muslims linked with Iran, but Rice sought to play down that criticism.She praised Saudi Arabia for offering debt relief to Baghdad and for attempting to better secure its border with Iraq.The US military package includes weapons for Saudi Arabia and the other conservative Gulf countries but the US officials have not said whether this would be mostly sales.Saudi Arabia usually pays for its US weapons.Rice said: “This effort will help bolster forces of moderation and support a broader strategy to counter the negative influences of al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.”Iran has criticised the promise of arms, accusing the United States of trying to create fear and mistrust in the Middle East and of aiming to destabilise the region.”If there is a destabilisation of the region it can be laid at the feet of an Iranian regime,” said Rice.”This is a positive agenda in the Middle East.”Nampa-Reuters