The Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation has run its useful course, Egypt's foreign minister said today.
Mr Ahmed Maher told the Al-Ahramnewspaper that the "general Arab view" was that the " intifadahas succeeded in moving things toward recognition of a Palestinian state, but the appropriate measures need to be taken at each step".
"The armed intifadahas reached the point where it cannot further achieve its objective, and it will be exploited against the Palestinian people and their rights".
The Egyptian minister said he believed there was a real chance to achieve peace in the region, and the commitment of President George W. Bush showed the Palestinian people could obtain an independent state.
At a peace summit Wednesday in Aqaba, Jordan, Palestinian premier Mr Mahmud Abbas told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Mr Bush that he was committed to ending the armed struggle, which broke out 32 months ago and has cost nearly 3,300 lives.
But radical Palestinian movements have so far rejected an end to violence.
Mr Maher denied there had been any discussion at a Tuesday meeting of moderate Arab leaders with Mr Bush regarding Cairo's ambassador to Israel returning to his post.
During Tuesday's meeting, Mr Bush urged the Arab leaders to step up the normalisation of relations with Israel.
AFP