Mubarak in a frank dialogue with NDP Parliamentary body of the Shura council

The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Sunday met with the National Democratic Party (NDP) parliamentary body of the Shura Council members on the occasion of the end of the mid-term Shura Council elections.

President Mubarak said we have to stick to values, especially the religious ones as well as our social traditions.

We have to preserve our entity and good morals. When I speak about religious values, I mean the values of all religions.

Commenting on what was published in the independent AL Nabaa newspaper about the sex conduct of an ex-monk, Mubarak said this issue has been decisively dealt with.

He added that he refused to use the emergency law in any press-related issue, stressing that the press syndicate took the initiative and took necessary measures to deter the one responsible for that.

The issue now is before the Egyptian courts, stressing that judiciary in Egypt was independent and that no one had the right to interfere with it.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mohamed Ragab, representative of the majority at the Shura council, made a speech on behalf of members of the NDP Parliamentary Body at the Shura Council in which he welcomed President Mubarak and conveyed to him the esteem and appreciation of the NDP Parliamentary Body.

He also expressed thanks for the role assigned by the President to the Shura council in recent years in various spheres.

Ragab lauded the mid-term Shura Council elections which were held under judicial supervision and in which the State and security agencies eliminated the influence of thuggery and the domination of money on elections.

Commenting on elections of the people's assembly and the Shura council, president Mubarak said:

First: We should all respect the rules of the judiciary. He pointed out that the people's assembly may be the master of its decision but when the court of Cassation issues a decision, I hope that Parliamentary bodies will respect it.

"We want a council of integrity, complying with the constitution,." The President added.

" This applies to both the people's assembly and the Shura council.

"The people should be represented by deputies fully chosen as a result of free and unbiased choice and not imposed," the President said.

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Second: the use of money and thuggery is completely rejected by the people before it is rejected by the state. There should be measures to prevent the use of money and its influence or the use of thuggery and violating the law.

In this respect, the President referred to some independent deputies who won in the elections and re-joined the National Democratic Party.

This means that they should be in solidarity and responsive under the banner of their party and that their commitment should be, first and foremost, to the higher interests of the country.

Their discussion, considering any bill, should be objective in the interest of the people and not under any other influences.

Commenting on recent temporal occurrences which some tried to interpret as events between Muslims and Copts, President Mubarak said there were forces which wanted to interpret events according to their whims and benefit from this in an attempt to weaken Egypt.

These forces repeat sayings and rumors of no substance out of ignorance. Muslims and Christians live under one banner, the Egyptian banner.

Freedom is guaranteed for every Egyptian. But the interests of the nation are governed by the Egyptian nature and rise above events. The nation, with its sons, is capable of facing those biased forces.

We, in Egypt, respect the creed of every citizen. We have to maintain the unity of the nation in the interest of its son and the future of the coming generation. We should not allow any one to sow the Seeds of sedition.

The NDP Parliamentary Body under President Mubarak approved the continuation of the bureau of the council under Dr. Mustafa kamal Helmy as speaker.

Minister of Information Safwat AL-Sherif said that at the beginning of the meeting, President Mubarak congratulated members who won in the elections and members who were appointed by a Republican Decree which was issued Saturday.

President Mubarak hoped that the Shura Council would play its role in enhancing parliamentary life and democratic practice in Egypt.

Safwat El Sherif said that President Mubarak stressed during the meeting several principles as regards Shura council elections.

The President said he had followed Shura Council elections as he had followed before people's assembly elections. Both were held under full judiciary supervision.

Grave Errors

President Mubarak referred to the grave error committed by an independent newspaper.

The President stressed that the entire Egyptian press is a national unbiased press capable of protecting its freedom from within its lawful and legal establishments.

The Egyptian press is capable of checking "yellow newspapers" and keeps them within their limits and completely clears the atmosphere through its national (Press) syndicate and the higher press council and the national press establishments.

President Mubarak stressed that we should be committed to values, foremost among which are religious values and the traditions of society.

This commitment emanates from a long history, family relations and self-respect.

We should not rush to globalization in a "blind imitation" Freedom does not mean spoiling society. If we violate values, this would mean loss for generations.

When we say our religious values, it is our responsibility to uphold the values of all heavenly religions.

They should all be respected and should receive every esteem".

President Mubarak said that as soon as deviation committed and the erroneous publication committed by the said newspaper "Al Nabaa" was discovered, the agencies concerned informed the religious leaderships to deal with the matter. These leaderships asked that legal measures by taken against any immoral action.

The President said that what was committed by the said newspaper was dealt with decisively.

He pointed out that the emergency law was not used in any thing that is related to the press.

The Press Syndicate took the initiative and was decisive and took all the measures to ensure that those responsible are brought to account and deterred.

President Mubarak said that press establishment the press syndicate, the Higher press council and press establishments are capable of exercising control and protection and deal with any excesses because these establishments include the elite of writers and thinkers and aware editors-in-chief who are able at any time to correct the march.

What was committed falls under the description "shame".

President Mubarak added: I appreciate and express every esteem and respect of the move made by the Egyptian press syndicate.

The case is now before the judiciary. Egypt's judiciary is independent.

There is no interference in the affairs of the judiciary that receives every esteem and respect".

Elections

As regards the Shura Council elections and some excesses that took place during People's Assembly election, President Mubarak said he took pride in the fact that the elections of the two councils took place under full judiciary supervision.

He pointed out that the phenomenon of using money and committing acts of thuggery call for a stand and a study in order to protect the march of democracy and the right of the people to exercise the optimum method of choosing their representatives and deputies and in order to have parliamentary bodies free of any pressure in their performance, which place the higher interest above any other consideration and do not fall under any internal or external pressure.

President Mubarak stressed that it was important that parties should be committed to values and principles.

"They should not accept any suspicious financing that is against the law, the President added.

President Mubarak said that in the light of studies, follow-up and analysis of the results of the elections of both the People's assembly and Shura Council, he was giving the matter his attention in order to reach an election method to avoid all negative aspects and ensure that parties, individuals and deputies are committed to the interests of their country in full and in all transparency.

The president said that he has asked a legal group to probe the optimum method of laying down an electoral law which ensures choosing representatives of the people at the proper level in the parliament. "It should be an electoral method that cannot becontested constitutionally and provides stability President Mubarak said, adding that it is the duty of all of us to place the interests of the people above everything else".

All should rely on their national conscience and appreciate their role. Deputies should play their role in the interest of the nation".

A solution is not imminent. The existing parliament will not be dissolved. We shall seek an optimum method in a year or two until we reach what we aspire "An open dialogue will be held on the electoral law that legal experts propose," the President said.

Globalization

As regards the issue of globalization and the attitude of the peoples and the governments against economic globalization, President Mubarak said that there is a struggle over many concepts.

President Mubarak pointed out that there were biased campaigns against Egyp which intentionally ignore facts.

The western world and European countries complain of the influence of globalization and the age of the open skies.

Open skies have their influence on the values of people and it is the duty of Egyptian media, with all its means and press, to act as a shield to protect identity and maintain Egyptian values.

President Mubarak said: "We witness and say the facts. The Egyptian press has a commitment to values and plays its role to maintain the Egyptian identity and culture and explain issues to public opinion.

The President lauded the role of the press and its ability to remove "erroneous spots".

President Mubarak referred to the role of the Shura Council that conducts objective discussions that show understanding and awareness.

Hence, the President was keen to refer to the Shura Council legislations and important issues to discuss them and offer them to public opinion.

Conspirators have not succeeded in weakening Egypt.

"Egypt shall never be weakened," the President said.

Dealing with the developments of the peace process, President Mubarak reviewed developments since September 28 when (the present Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon went to AL Aqsa mosque.

Violence erupted in protest and the Israelis resorted to excessive use of force.

The President referred to the Sharm AL Sheikh conference and reviewed the developments witnessed by the area after the conference because the parties concerned did not comply with the resolutions of the conference.

President Mubarak said he had recalled the Egyptian ambassador in Tel Aviv as a sign of the anger of Egyptian public opinion against the rejected acts that Israel was committing against the Palestinians.

The President referred to the choice of Sharon as Prime Minister of Israel and the grave consequences that the area is witnessing.

President Mubarak said that contacts and efforts were made so that the United States might play a positive and active role in order to stop situation be difficult to check its deterioration.

Messages were sent, and contacts were made with US President George Bush and his administration.

President Mubarak said: "when I give an advice, it is based on clear facts. Facts always have their credibility".

The president said that Washington embarked on an active movement as a result of these contacts.

"US Secretary of State Colin Powell is scheduled to visit the area and meet President Mubarak on Wednesday.

This is in addition to the European role and the role of the UN Secretary General".

Mubarak warned against the continued deterioration of conditions.

The Palestinian and Israeli sides should be aware of the grave situation. They should realise that violence cannot stop in a moment.

It is important that the (Israeli) siege and exposing the Palestinian people to starvation should end at once.

All that is committed inflame sentiments and lead to continuation of violence should stop".

President Mubarak recalled that he had warned that violence would lead to terrorism which nobody could define its events or where it would take place.

The President had warned that terrorism would spread to all places without discrimination and threatens interests.

"An urgent move is needed to guarantee commitment to the ceasefire. The siege should be lifted and means of earning living should be made available to Palestinians".

"The President said: The Palestinians shall not abandon their rights. The peace process is complicated and a long time is needed to realise a just and overall peace for the peoples of the area."