"No Change"

Barely 48 hours after the assassination, President-designate Hosni Mubarak was interviewed by TIME Correspondents Wilton Wynn and Robert C. Wurmstedt. Excerpts:

On the transition. You have seen a smooth transition. President Sadat gave our institutions a strong base.

On Sadat's assassins. They are a very limited group. They are fanatic Muslims. There will be an investigation, but we don't believe they have any connection with any foreign power.

On the Camp David peace process. I will continue the policy President Sadat started. We are going on with Camp David and the autonomy talks. The next meeting is Oct. 25, and there will be no change. I told an Israeli reporter, "Go tell your people, don't worry." When we reach agreement on the principles of autonomy, we will tell the Palestinians, "This is what we can reach." It's up to them to go on from there. I am optimistic about the autonomy talks. We hope the Palestinians accept what we can achieve. But we are not talking for the Palestinians.

On relations with the U.S. We will continue to improve them. We will carry the U.S. as a full partner in the peace process. We are committed to Camp David.

On relations with the Soviet Union. I am not a Communist. I am an Egyptian. I like those who cooperate with us, those who deal with us on an equal basis and do not interfere in our internal affairs, those who help us when we are in need.

On the advantages of U.S. vs. Soviet military equipment. American quality is much more advanced than that of the Soviets. In the October War we were fighting with old technology against new, sophisticated technology. We hadn't a single plane that could reach Israel. The Israelis could reach Cairo, and that gave our people complexes.

On rapprochement with other Arabs. We did not cut relations. They did. We'll have to wait and see.

On Libya, and possible U.S. action against Gaddafi. I don't want to ask for this now. I'm taking a wait-and-see position. What's on now is a continuation of President Sadat's policy, and he tried to have better relations with Libya. We want to deal with countries on a solid basis. We don't want to agree on something and then be undermined. We respect our word and would like others to do the same.

On the AWACS sale debate. Saudi Arabia is a very close friend of the U.S. Saudi Arabia has increased its oil production for the sake of the U.S. and the West. The gulf is an area of U.S. interest and defending the gulf is in the interest of the U.S. The AWACS has no guns. It can't carry bombs. I'm astonished that Israel is raising hell against it. It's of no danger to Israel.

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