Mubarak wants talks on clearing mines

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 10

Mubarak wants talks on clearing mines

NZPA-Reuter Cairo Preparations for United States, British and French minesweepers to hunt explosives in the Red Sea were to be discussed yesterday by President Hosni Mubarak and the Suez Canal authority chairman, Muhammed Adel Ezzat. Egyptian officials said Mr Mubarak wanted to discuss a detailed plan for the work of an international fleet of minesweepers and helicopters heading for the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. Naval representatives were also meeting to coordinate the operation to hunt mines which have damaged 16 ships in the last month. Four British minesweepers left Akrotiri Base in Cyprus yesterday and headed for the Gulf of Suez, which runs south from the Suez Canal to the Red Sea.

Four American minesweeping helicopters

were on their way to Egypt by sea and the United States dispatched three others to search for mines in the approaches to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports.

Two French minesweepers left Brest in north-west France to join two others which sailed from the Mediterranean port of Toulon on Thursday. Mr Mubarak said, “I think the Libyans have done such a thing, but until now we are waiting to find a mine to confirm our suspicions.” Asked if he thought Iran might be involved in the mining, he said, “I hope that we find nothing against them.” He reiterated his warning that Egypt would stop and search any ship suspected of carrying mines or explosives. Both Iran and Libya have denied involvement in the mining. In Beirut, a caller claiming to speak for the “Islamic Jihad” (Holy War)

organisation said the group was responsible and neither Iran nor Libya was involved.

Egyptian officials expected American and British minesweeping units to arrive late last evening or today. The British will operate at the head of the Gulf of Suez, using the naval base at Adabiya, while Egyptian and American teams sweep the southern end, British Embassy sources said.

The French are expected to take up position in the Saudi sector of the Red Sea and co-ordinate with the Americans there, Egyptian sources said. Red Sea States have not yet responded to a call by President Hassan Gouled of Djibouti for a meeting to discuss dealing with the mines. Mr Gouled said Djibouti, which has a French naval base, would offer port facilities to Western minesweepers.