'The Need for Closure'; Our position is very clear. You need inclusion. You cannot just say, 'Hamas doesn't exist.'.(interview with Ahmed Nazif)(Interview)

Byline: Lally Weymouth

Since he was appointed to lead a mainly technocratic government in 2004, Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif has been immersed in some of the Middle East's most complex political problems--the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the widening war in Iraq, not to mention Egypt's own on-again off-again steps toward democracy. He also spoke to NEWSWEEK's Lally Weymouth in Davos last week. Excerpts:

WEYMOUTH: There's a rumor in Washington that the United States is going to bomb Iran. What do you think of the idea?

NAZIF: We've said clearly that this would not be a good idea. If it is to deter Iran, it probably will have the exact opposite effect. So I don't see the logic.

How do you assess the strength of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

Iran, like any other country, has many factions with many different opinions. We have seen changes in the Iranian way of thinking over the last couple of decades. We've seen Iran coming closer to the communities in the Middle East and then seen them getting a little bit farther. What we need to do is just take them at face value. This is the Iranian government. This is what we are dealing with.

When do you think the peace with Israel will become a warmer peace?