Mubarak says selection of names by the NDP in elections is wrong approach
Egypt, Politics, 11/10/2000

President Hosni Mubarak cast his vote Wednesday within the third stage of the 2000 parliamentary elections. He cast his vote at the election committee in the suburb of Heliopolis. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak and Gamal Mubarak also voted at the Heliopolis ballot committee, where the President cast his vote earlier.

In statements to the reports, the president denied any shortcomings in the parties' performance in Egypt because some NDP members, who won the parliamentary elections as independents, rejoined the winning NDP list. Such independents are members in the ruling party first place and they were not fired, President Mubarak said.

The President added that he does not have the authority to ban anybody from joining the National Democratic Party or any other party.

President Mubarak admitted that the selection of names by the NDP is a wrong approach frankly speaking as he said.

He suggested that the party should not limit the number of candidates or select them for each constituency to permit the people to choose whoever they want and stop nominating members as NDP candidates while others run as independents.

Answering a query on the expected peace process developments after the success of Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush in US elections, President Mubarak said that there is a re-count under way at present and still the US elections' results are not clear yet.

Whether Bush or Al Gore succeeds, the matter is equal, he elaborated. On what the Egyptian President expects from the new American Administration, he said that the Mideast peace process returns to its normal track.

Asked about his Wednesday`s talks with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, the President said that Egypt-Palestine talks covered the peace process.

Arafat is keen on the resumption of the peace process despite contrary speculations, he said. Arafat wants peace to move on and to retrieve the occupied Palestinian land as soon as possible.

President Mubarak reiterated that the Palestinian control over Al-Haram Al-Sharif is indispensable and nobody will accept the Israeli sovereignty over Al-Haram even after 100 years more. As for east Jerusalem, Arafat was ready to cede the Jewish district and the Borraq Wall, he said. No other solution is possible, he added.

This is not only up to Arafat, he said adding that Arafat could not dare to agree on Israeli sovereignty over Al-Harm Al-Sharif.

On whether he anticipates Egypt-Iraq relations to return to normal, President Mubarak said that the diplomatic relations are at the level of charge d'affaires and we hope Iraq will return to the Arab arena. It is only a matter of time, he added.

Answering a query on whether the American Administration, under US President Bill Clinton will be influential, the President said that Clinton still has 50 days and he could be very influential.

Clinton's term in office terminates in January.

We are used that when a new President is elected, the old administration stops working, but Clinton wants to have something done before he leaves. The US peace task-force will not be changed until January, President Mubarak expounded.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt continues reform march under Mubarak's reign   (11/9/2000)
  Cabinet discusses five reports on results of elections first, second phases   (11/8/2000)
  Democracy and freedom, most important pillars of Mubarak's era   (11/7/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search