Mubarak address local issue of Kusheh, mega projects , parliamentary elections
Egypt, Politics, 1/24/2000

Turning to the subject of parliamentary elections during a press conference with Egyptian Journalists on Sunday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said the coming election will be held on the individual list basis.

President Mubarak, appealing to all political parties and individuals to shun any unlawful acts, said there will be no emergency or police measures as good public conduct would ensure good performance, choosing the best and respecting the law.

On the latest events in Kusheh, Upper Egypt, President Mubarak dismissed reports that a Congress member had asked to visit Egypt to discuss the Kusheh issue.

"Concerning past reports in the US on sectarianism in Egypt, I had explained everything for the congress in Washington and explained the situation for all Congressmen who visited Egypt," he said.

"I believe that all of them had agreed with me and reiterated what we always declare that Egyptians form one fabric and have no sectarian problems. I believe that they were convinced because we submit all facts and hide nothing," he said.

Addressing domestic issues, Mubarak replying to a question on reports that funds of the Social Fund are misused said "This is totally untrue. There is strict control over the work of the Fund. No one can take money from the Fund unless it is directed to finance projects meeting the funding conditions," he said.

On the mega projects, President Mubarak said work in the basic projects will not stop.

"A study, which will take three weeks, is under way to specify priorities of work in these projects and their various stages without affecting ongoing work," he said.

President Mubarak said the Development Project of Toshka, Upper Egypt, has been subject to thorough scrutiny.

"Work in Toshka has already started. Progress is ahead of schedule. As I have previously confirmed there is no backtracking. The project has been launched to continue," stressed Mubarak.

"Work is in full swing at the important West of Suez Project," President Mubarak said.

"Moreover, the government is preparing a law whereby the north west of Suez region would be transformed into a free zone to be run by a private and independent authority," President Mubarak said.

"The philosophy of running these mega projects is to strike a balance between our financial capacities and volume of and speed by which these ventures are implemented," he said, expounding that the government is moving in a rational way to implement these projects, to avoid any cuts in expenditures and to maintain deficit in its right frame.

"We will work at these mega projects according to their right priorities, stage after stage," he said.

On Aswan iron project, President Mubarak said that the entire venture is currently reconsidered by the government. "The government is also making necessary contacts to get the right result of soil analysis and iron content found in it," he added.

President Mubarak highlighted the importance of the East Suez Canal Project in view of the site's potentials for international transport and storage and also in view of its capacity to attract new employees and investors.

Mubarak said tourism in Egypt is booming, with the government continuing to build the infrastructure needed to encourage the establishment of new holiday resorts.

He referred to the road currently being constructed between Hurghada and Suez and the expansion in electricity and water projects and in building more airports.

President Mubarak emphasized that there would be no backtracking on projects on BOT basis.

"French investors have already started building power-generation stations on that basis", Mubarak said, adding that the government had agreed with investors on using a major part of the local constituent in all BOT projects.

He asserted that strict directives had been issued to government departments on the necessity to use local products and resort to importation only when a local counterpart was in short supply.

President Mubarak stressed that there was no delay in the scheduled farming of new lands in Toshka, Sinai and the Northern Coast by the year 2001 after treating soil salinity in these regions.

"The same thing applies to Ewainat region in Southern Egypt where experimental agriculture began over 13,000 feddans," he added.

As for the Western Desert, farming will depend primarily on rain water plus water taken from as-Nasr canal which has extended so far to el-Hammam region.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian Diplomatic Missions to bypass Kosheh incidents   (1/22/2000)
  Mubarak - Cook discussions   (1/22/2000)
  Mubarak's Directives to promote Egypt's tourism   (1/22/2000)

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