WASHINGTON: Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil El-Araby expressed optimism about relations with the United States following the downfall of president Hosni Mubarak in the wake of a popular revolt.
"I think they are going to be closer than ever," El-Araby told The Washington Post in an interview when asked about the future of bilateral relations.
He said he had told US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and various US senators that he wanted relations to evolve positively.
In the interview published Friday, the foreign minister also reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to treaties with Israel.
"Egypt is going to comply with every agreement and abide by every treaty it has entered into," he said. "That is the goal of treaties."
Egypt was the first Arab country that established diplomatic relations with Israel, in 1979, but Israel remains deeply unpopular with many Egyptians because of its policies towards Palestinians.
A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that 54 percent of 1,000 Egyptians surveyed wanted the annulment of the peace treaty.
El-Araby, who helped negotiate the Camp David peace accords, said he believed it was "difficult to negotiate with Israel, but once it is done and everything is signed, both sides abide and comply faithfully."
