Egypt’s foreign minister on the way forward after Mubarak

It is controlled now.

Personal Post

Will you let Palestinians come here?

We have allowed them to come here. But if anyone is an undesirable, they will not be permitted entry. But we will provide Gaza with humanitarian needs.

Has that started?

We have received approval.

I read your remark that Israel had its greatest days with Mubarak —

I never said that. I think the first 10 years of the Mubarak regime were very good. But the last period, with his son in power — since then I haven’t been in the government.

So you think that the last 10 years of the regime was a bad period?

The question of rotation is very important. People were shocked how long [Mubarak had been in power].

Egypt will still sell gas to Israel?

Do we have an agreement or not?

You do, but there has been a lot of discussion about —

Then we will continue to sell gas to Israel. Its price — we may disagree about the price — but that is commercial.

How do you see the situation turning out in Libya?

I will give you the answer Senator John McCain gave me sitting here the other day — it [the unrest] will last. It might continue for a while.

What about relations with Turkey?

[Turkish] Foreign Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu will be in Cairo for the Palestinian reconciliation.

What aspects of your foreign policy will change? What will be different?

In Arab countries we are moving ahead — there were not the best of relations between Qatar and Egypt under President Mubarak, but that has changed with me now. We are moving towards Africa — we are going into Sudan.

So you think that Egypt should play a bigger role in the region?

Definitely, yes.

And it hasn’t played that role that it always should have played?

In the last few years, no.

So your vision of Egypt is as the leader of the Arab world?

I would not use that phrase.

I heard that some Arab countries were upset about the Mubarak situation. Is that true?

Some Arab countries, yes. They liked the guy, and they were not happy about him being prosecuted.

Were the Saudis upset?

The king did express that he is loyal to his friends.

Is there anything you feel is important for Americans to know about the new Egypt?

I can tell you this — part of the new age is that the Egyptian population decided that all human rights conventions will be applicable to everyone. We would like to see a democratic country. We will abide by treaties and the rule of law.

outlook@washpost.com

Lally Weymouth is senior associate editor of the Washington Post.

Read more from Outlook, friend us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.