The Higher Committee for Antiquities will meet on Monday to take up details of moving the statue of Ramses II from its current place downtown Cairo to the Grand Museum, which is being reconstructed on Cairo-Alexandria dessert road

 

Dr Zahi Hawwas, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities said that the committee members, including archaeologists experts from the Arab Contractors Company and officials of the ministries concerned will outline a final framework for carrying the statue to its final seat.

Ramses II of the 19^th dynasty ruled Egypt from 1304 -1237 BC. The first rehearsal proved successful on Friday.

It was basically meant to figure out whether the transfer process posed any threat to soil, underground metro or amenities as the statue would be carried away by a' truck weighing 40

tons.

In addition to this ,Culture Minister Farouk Hosni will launch in September a wide-scale campaign to develop and protect the ancient Pyramids and Sphinx area at an estimated cost of LE50 million. The project includes setting up three gateways to the plateau area, Dr Zahi Hawwas, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said Sunday. He said that the plateau will be circled with a fence to protect the ancient area from sprawling squatters. Closed-circuit cameras will be installed inside and outside the area and a' huge parking plot established.

All cattle will not be allowed in the area and will be replaced with electrical cars to transfer the visitors, especially the elderly.