From a conversation with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt A I Abdel Meguid Moscow August 27 1990 Gorbachev The times pose challenges that require dynamic action Now we are not in absentia but are personally acquainted with President Mubarak And I can say that our relationship seems to be adequate … In connection with the events in the Persian Gulf I tell my Western partners that our dialogue has reached such a level that it allows us to cooperate in this dangerous situation If these events had caught us 7-10 years ago it would be very difficult for us to find solutions Although it is not easy to act now … The inclusion of the Arab factor is necessary for two reasons The very nature of the conflict in which two states belonging to the Arab world are involved requires that the Arabs have consolidated and have contributed to the settlement … You likely have noticed that in this situation the solution of the Middle East problem the Palestinian question has moved to the background And if we do not untie the Kuwaiti knot and a regrouping of forces in the region occurs the Americans will strengthen their positions This will complicate establishment of the peace process in the Middle East What happened between Iraq and Kuwait once again reinforces the pertinence of the problem of a Middle East settlement It must be solved It is fitting to raise the question of the need to convene an international peace conference on the Middle East … It is necessary to help Arafat and he must seek advice more from the Arabs Abdel Meguid We just like the Soviet leadership are also convinced of the need in the current context to move towards convening an international conference on the Middle East in the current conditions This is the main issue for us and we will do everything we can to resolve it Gorbachev In order to prevent a major explosion the resolutions adopted on this issue must be fully operational They must be strictly enforced And Iraq must draw the right conclusions from the solidarity that the international community expressed in these resolutions not to worsen the situation but to seek a way out of the deadlock on their part Abdel Meguid President Mubarak was extremely alarmed and saddened by the attack on Kuwait since it was to him that Saddam Hussein promised at the end of July in Baghdad that he would not use force against Kuwait Mubarak conveyed these words to the Emir of Kuwait and then to the King of Saudi Arabia Now it turned out that at that time the Iraqis had already developed a plan to seize Kuwait Gorbachev This is treacherous and simply dishonest But politics is politics We must leave aside emotions and seek a rational solution to the problem AFG Fond No 1 Op No 1 Page 721 Section VI New policy on the Near and Middle East Otvechaya na vyzov vremeni Vneshnyaya Politika Perestroiki Dokumental’nye svidetel’stva Moscow Gorbachev Foundation Novy Mir 2010 Translated by Sarah Dunn for the National Security Archive