U.S. Congressman John Yarmuth's Statements in Cairo

Representative JOHN YARMUTH Statements
Following his meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister
June 5, 2011 

Q: Would you brief us about your meeting with the foreign minister.

Rep. Yarmuth: Basically, we dealt with two fundamental questions; one is what is the future of Egypt in the international community and secondly, the Israeli-Palestinian situation and how it is perceived by Egypt’s government now. I think all of us found it very refreshing, a very open balanced perspective on the international situation and the situation here in the Middle East.

Q: Have you discussed the French idea about holding an international conference to discuss the peace process by then end of this month?

Rep. Yarmuth: What the foreign minister said is that the efforts towards peace between Palestine and Israel cannot proceed without a conference, whether that is something that would proceed based on a French proposal or some others. I think what the foreign minister said was that the United State has to play a pivotal role in any movement in that arena. So I think that is something we will take back to our government as well.

Q: Does the Congress support Obama’s speech regarding the 1967 borders?

Rep. Yarmuth: I think that the issue of the 1967 borders, President Obama supports a negotiated settlement based on the 1967 borders, and that has been long-standing United States policy and I do not think there is any separation in the Congress on that issue.

Thank you

Representative JOHN YARMUTH statements
Following his meeting with Arab League Secretary General
June 5, 2011

 We had a very enlightening meeting with the Secretary General. One of the things I am most interested in is that I come from a journalistic background before I got into politics, and I understand, no offense personally, that the media does not always portray situations as they actually exist, so that is really our primary function here, to find out as best we can what the true dynamics are in this part of the world and what is happening in Egypt, and how Egypt can also be a positive force in bringing peace to the region and specifically to Palestine and Israel.

 Q: Will the United States deal with any president or government or even if it were Islamist?

Rep. Yarmuth:  The United States has to deal with a wide range of national leaders throughout the world and I think any administration, whether it is President Obama’s or another administration, will have to take every situation as it finds it, and I think the key factor would be how much a government is committed to freedom and democracy, and if that government were committed to that, then I think the United States will cooperate with it.

Thank you