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Friday, December 26, 1997
President Hosni Mubarak voiced optimism over Egypt’s brighter future in the light of the establishment of giant projects, expansion of investment and the increase of production. President Mubarak, in an exclusive interview with "Al-Ahram"daily, said he is following the construction operations of the giant projects including Toshka project. "Toshka project would completely shift the valley map," President Mubarak said, adding that giant agricultural projects would be carried out in 1998. Mubarak called on the Egyptian people to cooperate with the government to meet the ends and aspirations, noting that the government should pursue policies aimed at alleviating the citizens’ suffering, promoting the development rates, taking more effective measures to encourage the investors and accelerate to economic reform steps. "The upcoming year would witness important accomplishments in the services and infrastructure projects," said Mubarak, adding that great accomplishments were achieved within the past years. He, further, expounded that the drinking water and sewerage networks will be stretched to all governorates. President Mubarak called on the state and the private sector to channel the investments for the upper Egypt's development, noting that the state will provide the power and roads for south valley projects. The education would have high priority within the upcoming year, The Egyptian leader said, pointing out that an integrated strategy on the education would be hammered out." "The elimination of negative reverberations of the heinous Luxor incident would take some time. Tourism will prosper gradually, Mubarak said, adding that security plans on protecting the tourist areas and deterring the terrorists were drawn up. Egypt had contacts with the countries harbouring terrorists to convince them not to grant political asylum to the killers, Mubarak said. Voicing concern over the goings-on of peace process in the region, President Mubarak anticipated the situation would be very difficult in the view of the intransigence of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanvahu and the Likud government. President Mubarak voiced hope that the tripartite meeting in Washington grouping Israeli Premier Netanyahu, President Bill Clinton and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would yield positive results, noting that "he doesn't expect much from the meeting". "commenting on the optimistic statement Iran and Arab countries, Preside Mubarak voiced hope that Egypt and Iran would have very good ties. The steps needed for returning Egyptian-Iranian ties into normal should be studied, "noted the Egyptian leader. Mubarak said he is keen on retaining good ties between Egypt and Qatar despite the attempts of some Qataris to tarnish the two countries relations, pointing out that he gave directives on facilitating the Qataris’ entry to Egypt, and that he agreed upon admitting the Qatari and Bahraini students at the Egyptian universities. Mubarak hoped the ties with the Sudanese people would return into normal as soon as possible. "I agreed upon setting up a navigational line between Egypt and the Sudan on the Sudanese government's request", Mubarak said. He expressed hope that the Libya-West crisis would be solved to lift the blockade imposed on this Arab country. "Egypt spares no efforts with the foreign and friendly countries to meet this end, Mubarak noted. |
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