Mubarak's directives turned into program of action
The Cabinet convened Thursday under Prime Minister Atef Ebeid to lay down timetables to execute President Hosni Mubarak's directives that came in his speech Sunday to a joint meeting of People's Assembly and the Shura Council marking the start of the new parliamentary session.
The Council also discussed a number of reports on domestic, foreign and economic policies. The Prime Minister posted the Cabinet on the new directives by President Mubarak regarding the priorities of national action.
Information Minister Safwat El-Sherif said the Cabinet discussed the recent speech by President Mubarak before the joint session of the People's Assembly and Shura Council, with Ebeid pinpointing the government tasks set by the President and the programmes of action with which the ministries and other official agencies would be charged.
Egypt's economic reform progam, under President Mubarak's guidelines, is to focus, among other things, on controlling state budget deficit, directing expenditure to those fields with more positive bearing on socio-economic development and encouraging direct investment.
The Cabinet reviewed a report on the present conditions in Palestinian territories and the outcome of the contact President Mubarak has held with Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.
Information Minister Safwat El Sherif said the report also covered the contents of the messages President Mubarak received from and sent to the resigned Israeli Prime Minister on rules and bases that preserve the legitimate Palestinian rights and help achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.
The Foreign Ministry's report likewise covered the ongoing negotiations in Washington between the Palestinian and Israeli sides in a bid to return parties concerned to the negotiation table.
The Council reaffirmed a commitment to international legitimacy resolutions, the land-for-peace principle, Palestinian sovereignty on Al-Haram Al Sherif and East Jerusalem so as to bring about a just and overall peace in the region.