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H.E. Seif el-Nasr began his talk by reminding the audience about the upcoming Arab summit in Riyadh, describing this event as another opportunity for peace in the Middle East, and for the parties involved in regional conflicts to “give peace a chance.” He qualified this by stating that the United States must have an important role in any Middle East peace initiative and expressed the hope of many Arab states that the US would be a positive force for peace.

H.E. Seif el-Nasr also stressed the centrality of Egypt in any regional peace initiative and the importance of an Egyptian-American partnership vis-à-vis Middle East peace. As a key power in the Middle East, Egypt wants to “set the example” on both regional and domestic issues. His Excellency cited the US-brokered 1978 Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel as an example of both Egypt’s commitment to regional peace and of the enduring US-Egyptian partnership, which he dated from these Accords.

Explaining that a sustainable solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is vital to achieving overall regional peace, H.E. Seif el-Nasr urged the United States to play a constructive role in achieving a two-state solution. While allowing that “precious time has been lost,” His Excellency asserted that the US could build on the existing framework for peace established by the Madrid Conference and achieve true progress using “political will and audacity.” The so-called “Final Status Issues” of Jerusalem, borders, security, and refugees were noted as being especially in need of US attention.

H.E. Seif el-Nasr stated that in the spirit of “friends owe friends the truth,” it is important to recognize the fact that the US image in the Middle East has suffered significantly as a result of its invasion and occupation of Iraq. While restoration of a positive image is possible, a degree of deference to America’s regional “friends” is necessary. His Excellency said that the US and Egypt have enjoyed a tradition of friendship for almost thirty years and that disagreements on issues such as Iraq and the progress of democratization in Egypt should not jeopardize the overall friendship. He explained that the two countries could “agree to disagree” on some issues, especially when there exist shared interests such as ensuring regional stability and combating global terrorism.

H.E. Seif el-Nasr concluded by describing Egypt as a center of the Middle East aneconomically prosperous, culturally vibrant, and secure nation. He stressed that an Egypt different from this did not currently exist and that no one, Egyptian or American, wanted it to. His Excellency stated that this picture of Egypt — a secure partner with the US for peace — was the true representation of the nation.

His Excellency held a question and answer session following his talk. When asked about disagreements between the United States and Egypt over Egypt’s domestic policies, particularly in regards to the suppression of political dissent, H.E. Seif el-Nasr said that while it is in the American nature to “want to do good,” the resolution of certain domestic political issues are primarily the province of Egyptian society. Stating that it was not the place of the United States to be overly critical of Egyptian political development, H.E. Seif el-Nasr said that Egypt was indeed committed to “the challenge of reconnecting with the democratic process.” He stressed, however, that it is Egypt that should determine the speed of its democratization. Regarding the apparent popularity of the Muslim Brotherhood as an opposition movement, he stated that the Brotherhood was not outlawed as a movement, but had a questionable political role, as religious parties are illegal in Egypt. While acknowledging that the Brotherhood was a political force in the Egyptian government, with 20% representation in Parliament, he inferred that this 20% contributed to the exclusion of more secular reformists and kept them from taking an active role in the political process.