Sunday, November 10, 1996


president Mubarak speach on
The Inauguration of



Brothers and Sisters

Members of the People's Assembly and Shura Council,

Your August Assembly starts its second term of sessions in a climate of patriotism in which the aspirations of the people concentrate, longing for more work and achievement and filled by complete confidence that tomorrow is better, God willing, than yesterday after the emergence of reform omens and the triggering of production wheel which can overcome the difficulties and the obstacles and which can double the ability of the nation to confront the most severe challenges.

Thank God, who makes righteousness prevail between us and our people and crowns our tireless efforts with success along a 15 years march, during which we did our best in remedying the chronic ailment in our national economy which was on the brink of complete collapse, reconstructing the utilities and services demolished by successive wars and establishing a true democracy.

Thank God, Egypt successfully made a giant step on the road of reform and reconstruction without hesitancy or retreat that might shake its national entity.

Egypt accomplished its economic reform smoothly, preserved its national forces while stepping to this historic turning point and rearranged the forces of the society on more balanced bases.

Egypt had availed herself from many drawbacks which had befallen many other countries in such endeavor, since Egypt had persistenly maintained the social dimension in the reform process.

Egyptian patriotism came victorious in the battle of reform and the Egyptians preserved their unity and consistency while delving in the most difficult phases of economic change.

Here are the omens of reform, they appear one by one, and in a matter of few years Egypt has changed from being a country that suffered deficit in resources and abilities and that was on the verge of bankruptcy to become the most attracting region for investments in the Middle East . Furthermore, its cripple economy transformed into an active one in which development rate is increasing incessantly to about threefold of population growth before the year 2000.

Your August Assembly's cooperation with the government , over the years of reform, has played a great role in achieving this objective in a manner that enabled Egypt to start a new take off phase that has opened the doors to the participation of every citizen, providing the opportunities of exploiting all national potentials and removing all hurdles before the private sector so as to play a key role in development.

Your Assembly has supported the march of reform, has been an advocate of stability and a fighter against terrorism, a helper for the low-income classes, a guard of social peace and advocate of producers. It has also been a forum of a free and objective dialogue in which all the opinions of opposition, government and independents interact for the good of the homeland and citizens.

I feel I must voice my greetings and appreciation for your laudable efforts since the beginning of the 7th legislative term of the Assembly. You have excellently fulfilled your task in controlling and supporting government performance and you have paved the road to government performance characterized by high spirit in breaking through problems and removing obstacles on the road of national work; this has effectively simplified procedures for citizens, promoted confidence in their minds and created a new atmosphere of work and achievement. I am sure that cooperation between the Assembly and government will go on at the same level and speed out of the impetus realized at the beginning of this year to complete the march of economic liberalization and sustain government efforts in order to uproot what have remained of hurdles on the road of achieving economic take off and improving the atmosphere of investment.

We have no time to waste, and our task is to keep quick and well planned move to assimilate the mechanisms of progress and promote Egypt's capability of competition in the field of attracting giant companies and projects to invest in Egypt, for Egypt's renaissance cannot be achieved without breaking through the era of giant projects that can materialize our ambitious hopes, and effect a qualitative shift of life on the Egyptian land and upgrade the standards of livelihood of a patient people for whom the time has come to enjoy the fruits of reform and progress in all aspects of life.

I do not doubt that interaction and understanding between the government and you will characterize your work in the coming term to continue our persistent endeavour for better life in Egypt. I am sure that the draft laws to be submitted during this term will achieve a great productive take off coping with our big ambitions.

On top of those projects comes the establishment of a giant free zone on the Suez Gulf, this unique location in the middle of the world and amidst the continents, lying at the centre of connection lines between East and West , and North and South, and giving us a special status with which we can enter the arena of international competitiveness with an integrated group of industrial, commercial and tourist projects that may be an attraction factor for other various projects in several areas in Egypt .

Besides your responsibility in continuous reviewing of legislations governing investment in all its fields and endeavouring to remove the rest of obstacles and hurdles, you will play a great role in enacting several new legislations aiming at simplifying procedures for citizens so as to relieve the burdens of all the people's categories to enable every citizen to obtain his right without toil or suffering, and without favoritism.

I hope that the forthcoming legislative term will witness an active move in amending some existing legislations aiming to simplify letigation procedures and do away with the causes of the delay in considering lawsuits or overload judges who dedicate their lives for establishing right, settling justice and honouring law. We spare no effort to reinforce this edifice by all means.

The great ambitions achieve renaissance because they motivate mettle and unify stands and potentials. Our great ambition is to cope with, enable Egypt to overcome the challenges of a new era in which there is no room for those of weak abilities and limited ambitions.

Our major ambition is to unify the hands of all Egyptians and to the tremendous responsibility we undertake in a new world in which the status of a nation will be determined according to its potentials, and competition is feverish , and the strong endeavour to dominate the destinies of others weighing their interests against the rules of legitimacy.

We are witnessing hard international circumstances and events that require us to close ranks and keep national unanimity to achieve our ambitious targets, build a homeland capable of advancement depending on itself so as to protect its independence and exchange interests with others on equal footing.

The homeland is our own all, rulers and citizens, majority and minority, government and opposition. Concerted cooperation and coordination will be indispensable so as to achieve our great ambition.

We do not deprive anyone of the right to differ for we do no expect all to be of one opinion, but we call for a sense of national unity and concerted efforts in breaking through a new stage of national action that requires the cooperation of all Egyptians.

Brothers and Sisters,

I have assumed office in difficult circumstances. We had to face challenges that appeared on the first day of my presidency. However, I was confident in God's help and the people's support. With a united front we managed to steer the ship to a safe shore despite the rough storms, with the help and confidence of the people.

I was aware that any fruitful work should be based on mutual confidence in ourselves and in others. The Egyptians have succeeded in aspiring for the future and regain their self-confidence. My duty was to place this confidence in the innermost of my heart and conscience. I have pledged to dedicate all my deeds to God Almighty.

All my decisions are in the interest of the people, and for the past fifteen years this has been the basis of my rule without exception.

Among the prerequisites of credibility has been the adoption of a clear and frank policy. We have never concealed any issue or any obstacle we might have encountered. We have insisted on exposing all facts and related procedures so that we can keep our people well-informed.

The lack of confidence between the ruled and rulers alienates one from the other.

We have pledged to be always amongst the masses, meet them in cities and villages, in working and production sites, feeling for them and respecting their will in every endeavour or decision. Had it not been for the confidence of the people, we would not have overcome difficulties and attained these achievements.

The current period has witnessed a number of major changes which have undoubtedly changed human progress as we are on the threshold of the 21st century.

Enormous international situations -unexpected to be changed- have been upset such as the disintegration of some countries, the disperse of nationalities, the disturbance of power balances in the world by the end of the Second World War.

The world has experienced successive waves of violence, war and mass emmigration of thousands of refugees. Defying the international legitimacy and law has prevailed. It seems to be as if all balances have been disturbed. Terrorism has prevailed threatening the capability of many societies and unveiling the danger facing the whole International Community.

Egyptians have preserved their constituents and achievements, adhered to their national unanimity and proved, as usual, their great ability to overcome ordeals and obstacles, and their unprecedented skill in distinguishing between the right and wrong no matter how difficult it was.

Egypt's progressiveness throughout history is linked with the peopele's unanimity and agreeing upon their true national objectives; for people unite only upon what is right and constructive and mobilize to defend noble human values. And since the dawn of history, our people have been the best builders of human civilization, carrying on their great objectives and supporting its seeds to bear fruit for all of them . Thanks to our peoples genuine strong spirit that has enabled them to overcome the difficulties and endure the agony, and thanks to their belief in the human mission on earth that aims at spreading prosperity and advancement to serve the coming generations, all this progress has been made possible.

During the era of Muhammad Ali and Ismail, the Egyptians managed to break the chains of frustration and backwardness, establish the pillars of their modern country and bridge the gap between Egypt and modern civilization.

Then comes their stand with Saad Zaghloul in the Revolution of 1919 to unveil another aspect of their good nature when they all came together to perform a wonderful epic in the history of Egypt, supporting Egypt's right to an independent homeland.

And with Gamal Abd-El-Nasser, they managed to urge the battle of national liberation and the independence of the national will to the extent that it inspired the peoples of the Third World countries.

The Egyptian people waged the October War, along with Anwar Al Sadat to restore land and dignity and raise the flags of triumph and peace and to embark upon a new era of co-existence and advancement.

During the last 15 years, our great people carried on their strife until our aim became a fixed strategy to all the people of the region as well as carrying on construction, mending the destruction of war and establishing a strong economy that is able to achieve the aims of its people.

The battle of reconstructing Egypt's ability is one of the greatest battles in the whole world, where we have to start from the zero in most of the fields after destructions of utilities, industries and services caused by the successive wars, and the aggravation of national economic crisis, depletion of the national exchequer, the grave decrease of resourses and the halting of the efforts of development.

The people are the heros for having voluntarily endured the difficulty of construction believing in the sincere efforts exerted to achieve progress for Egypt to face up to the 21st century as a sound country able to make its own future.

What adds to the greatness of the battle, where all the potentials of the community have united, Egypt's national unanimity on the importance of making the reform efforts succeed and on its insistence on defeating the evil forces that have tried to threaten the people and abort its march on the path of construction and progress.

Once more, the people are the heros for unveiling malice and refusing their deviant thought, participating in chasing their traces which were doomed to be alienated outside the national consensus with neither support nor credibility.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have completed during the past 15 years the renewing of the infrastructure in the populated areas, modernizing the productive powers and spreading social services ( with all its activities ) with investments that will reach L.E. 373 billion by the end of this year, comprising all socio-economic activities , allocating L.E.181 billion for the infrastructure, L.E. 158 billion for the bases of production and L.E. 34 billion for services.

Moreover, new cultivated areas have been added; its total area reached 1.6 billion feddans as well as establishing about 18 new cities in which 2000 factories are actually operating, providing about 200.000 job opportunities and the value of its annual production reaches about L.E. 20 billion.

Oil production has increased from 32.2 thousand tons to 45 thousand tons, beside the natural gases and its derivatives which increased from 2.3 thousand tons to 12 thousand tons. Whereas the available electric power was 1 billion kw/hour in 1950 and reached 18 billion kw/hour in 1981 and became 87.5 billion kw/hour, and lighting 6131 villages and about 24 thousand hamlets since then.

During the past 15 years, about 4 thousand kilometers of railways, 75 bridges and 3.6 million telephone lines have been established and 22.1 thousand km of roads have been macadamized.

The hotel capacity has been increased to about 50 thousand rooms, and 2.3 million housing units have been set up compared to 1.4 million units within 40 years.

The number of hospitals were increased to about 45 public and central hospitals and about 126 rural hospitals and 360 rural units.

As for education, our giant national project, the number of school and university students have been increased to 16.3 million students compared to 8.7 million students in 1981.

Brothers and Sisters,

We are not satisfied with what has been done because we have all the essentials which enable us to achieve more success.

We have a stable homeland protected by a clear national consensus. We have a unique position in the centre of the world that gives us private privileges and a chance for competition.

We have clear stable policies that open the way for all initiatives and encourage producers and creators.

We have Egyptian manpower, diversified in their potentialities and equipped with experience through their battle of rebuilding.

We have, a wide international recongition that Egypt in its current conditions is representing one of the most important positions of attracting international investments.

The realized achievements till now are just a strong basis to a new take off phase without which we can not look forward to a wider vistas or hope to enter the age of giant projects that could realize nations development and enable them to achieve a large step towards a better life.

We are sons of a building nation which is used to the challenges of huge projects .

Our giant project which should mobilize our efforts today, is to get out from this narrow valley in which we have confined ourselves.

It is impossible to think of a real development of Egypt within the framework of the old valley which is overpopulated while the largest part of Egypt's area including its extended coasts on Mediterranean and Red Seas is still deserted.

Since the beginning of history, the Egyptians live in this narrow valley which is confined between two big deserts working hard to regulate the river water, building bridges to prevent dangers of high floods, digging ditches and canals to expand the cultivated area and storing surplus of river water to be used in arid years.

Then, the construction of the High Dam comes to crown the Egyptian continous endeavour to control river water and secure a sufficient water reservoir protecting Egypt from the dangers of drought and expanding the cultivated area, but, Egypt is still a green oasis in a wide desert overcrowded by its people who live in a limited area of Egypt's land not exceeding 4% of its area in the Nile Valley and its two branches.

The Old Valley no longer accommodates this expected increase of population which necessitates getting out to east and west of the Valley, using these wide areas of Egypt's land and opening new vistas in front of the Egyptian people in a new construction map that can spread construction outside the valley borders to all the Egyptian area.

The expected increase of population during the coming 20 years will reach about 25 million capita, supposing a continuous suceess in decreasing the population growth rate, to reach about 85 million capita. This necessitates getting out from the narrow valley and planning the redistribution of population.

In the framework of these facts, the concept of desert invasion is no longer just a motto or a dream, but it has become a necessity imposed by overpopulation . Instead of deceiving ourselves, we should reconsider the population distribution on Egypt's map because we need four times of the current populated area to assimilate the new population.

Brothers and Sisters,

We are ambitious to establish a new Delta in the Western Desert, in order to cultivate about half million feddans in the first phase, irrigated by the Nile water within Egypt's quota. In order to implement this giant national project, I call upon the government to start immediately and with all determination and persistence to establish a canal North Toshka spillway as a start for implementing this giant project. I also call upon the Egyptians to mobilize their efforts in order to achieve this huge project which expands the development base and extends it to the largest available area of our land. I urge all Egyptian and foreign investors to come to this promising area with their investments, projects and ideas. I charge the government with probing the possibility of giving new privileges to investors in the valley that is intended to be established, in addition to the privileges provided for in the current laws. This is to be applied on the new projects or the projects that are transferred from the Old Valley to this area.

This giant project will create new agricultural and industrial communities. It needs -as I said before- the spirit of pioneering and hard work in order to change the standard of living in Egypt. It also requires the preservation of water as a strategic resource, connected with the high interest of our motherland.

The increase in water level in Nasser Lake to a level not reached before because of the last flood does not mean that we have plenty of water. Actually, we are in need to review ourselves concerning the water issue, for our needs increase whereas our water resources are constant. We are in dire need of every drop of water to launch development process all over Egypt, spreading construction and green areas. This will not be achieved unless we have a better use of water in the Old Valley as well as in new construction areas. We have to deal with water in the field, the factory and the house as a unique source. For our need of it increases with the increase of our hopes, ambitions and the continuous increase in population.

Brothers and Sisters,

The establishment of the Western Desert Delta project is a part of a new construction map, spreading constructions all over Egypt. In south borders, vast areas will be cultivated, in West Owinat area an agro-industrial complex will be established, in addition to projects of developing and constructing south western areas.

As for the middle, touristic projects will cover the Red Sea coast to Hurgada. In Sinai, many touristic projects are specified along the Aqaba and Suez Gulf coasts and more than 750.000 feddans in the middle and north of the Peninsula will be reclaimed, irrigated by Al Salam Canal. Along the Mediterranean Sea coast, in the far north, the privilege of the location and ports are capitalized in increasing Egypt's quota of transit commerce, in addition to petroleum and gaz projects around Al Qatara Depression and South Matrouh.

In such a way, the population attraction areas are specified, spreading construction all over Egypt in the framework of the fourth 5-year plan which is already under implementation. It aims at expanding the inhabited area in Egypt, achieving continuous development and consolidating the national wealth of the country in a bid to hand it over to the next generations better and more powerful than it has been handed to us. It is not a matter of snobbery and vanity but it is a matter of stating the necessity of performing the duty assigned to us by the people who are behind every developmental work.

Brothers and Sisters,

We have the confidence and persistence that Egypt will usher the coming century after completing all aspects of success such as freedom and independence, just rule, stable atmosphere which encourages initiatives and embraces producers, a promising huge market open to the world and exchanges with others' profits and interests, and an ambitious spirit for achieving continuous progress changing the Egyptian life and participating in human progress procession .

It is not imaginative today to say that our ambition exceeds the settling and expanding of the development base to extend over the largest available area of Egypt, in order to reach the limit of contribution and participation in the 21st century civilization with a clear Egyptian touch reminiscent of our ancestors' achievements. We have the ability to achieve this. We have the place and location, promising circumstances which ensure the possibilities of success, in addition to the Egyptian man who is capable of achieving miracles.

My confidence in the Egyptian man's ability to give is limitless, because of his strong sense of belonging, his deep allegiance, his genuine vitality and his keenness on success and progress.

Currently, there are increasing numbers of Egyptians who - voluntarily - chose to break through new fields of work in Egypt, propagating their huge and small projects all over the country. We have countless examples of Egyptians from all brackets whose loyalty to their motherland is deeply rooted, who competed in benevolence, building schools and hospitals for their fellow-citizens.

The Egyptian citizen, thus, was and shall remain the core of our thoughts, the target of development and the hope ahead of us. Our mission, precisely, is to stimulate and get the best out of him.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I have reiterated, and now I repeat before you that the impartiality of the judiciary and the integrity of the society shall always be among the stanchions we are keen to provide for the march of the national work. This march will not be deformed by a handful of corrupted people who permitted their hands to lust on public property, because such a perverted behaviour can -by no means- efface the fact that our country is fraught with thousands and thousands of honest people who fear God and abide by their conscience where the motherland is concerned . We will always be proud of the Egyptian society, the society of the honest and virtuous, not of the corrupt.

I do not deny the existence of corruption; it is a phenomenon that accompanies the periods of great transformation in the lives of the nations, especially at the beginning as some money grabbers seize the opportunity to make illicit gains.

Corruption may spread if values turn upside down, and control is absent . But , in all cases, we should keep things in proportion, we must have confidence in the State's and the society's strength and determination versus corruption. We must comprehend the aims of rogue forces and rumour mongers who yearn for mass confusion and frustration, casting gloom upon our achievements. We fight corruption wherever it shows with an iron fist and shall never languish before this sacred duty, as we believe in the law before which all people are equal in rights and duties. We extirpate all whose corruption is confirmed and guard public property with a restless eye that never errs on suspicion, and abides by law.

We defy that who claims our harbouring of a single case of corruption. All the cases currently on public display were disclosed on initiative by the State's bodies in response to reports by citizens. Yet, in many conditions, the general interest dictates secrecy of details in some cases which the government passes to investigations bodies, in order to serve the apprehension of crime partners, reveal their schemes, provide clues and facts as well.

Among the requisites of confidence, comes the trust put in the State when dealing with these cases, and the State shall later publicize the details.

Brothers and Sisters,

The successive wars, we had to fight, delayed the economic reform process in Egypt, in comparison with other developing countries that were able to dig their way through, increase their development rates for consecutive years, thus becoming among the middle income rate countries, more than that, vying with the great ones in several industries. But, I am sure that Egypt will make its way and join the most advanced countries, achieving in a very short time a tangible progress that will rank it among the best. These are no dreams, but scientific estimations of a number of international monetary organizations which currently acknowledge Egypt's exclusiveness in its economic reform programme, and its success in providing for a modern economic atmosphere that shapes with a changing world. All do now acknowledge Egypt's insight as it took into account the social dimension in every reform, providing all means of protection and social security to its people who turned to be a massive support to the economic reform process.

We were able -God willing- to minimize, as much as possible, the burdens resulting from such a massive transformation at a time economic reform programmes stumbled in many countries, because their governments rushed to replace the new order instead of the old without sufficient study, leading to several negative results. I would like to say to those who accused us of slackening our reform pace that we did not slow down in a matter that deserves speed, nor did we rush in a matter that requires deliberation; but we moved in cautious steps to safely make the shore.

Our greatest achievement in the reform process is that the people understood its necessity and believed in its outcome, so they enthusiastically supported it, bearing its burdens; a criteria that manifests the greatness of this ancient people, their patriotism and unique readiness to shoulder the responsibilities of national work as long as they believe in its worth. We are stepping into a new economic world ruled by a huge technological revolution which nearly unified economic standards in world markets, determining their access codes, characteristics of companies involved and international standardization of commodities.

Such a world requires a super power of invention besides a new style of thinking which sees in changes a good opportunity for progress and acquiring new skills likely to make us attached to the New World.

As we look at the successful global experiences on the road of development in order to assimilate them, we do not try to simulate a certain model regardless of our local situations and circumstances. We learn without simulation and, rather, try to innovate. Our right role is to go ahead within an Egyptian global framework that allows us to reach an optimal make up of our goods and services, depending on high technology and efficient investment. I know that there are many people who are afraid from global competition, especially under the recent GATT that removes all barriers.

I also know that there are many other people who ask themselves : Can Egypt effectively compete with others in a ferocious global market?

My answer is that Egypt that presented a genial and perfect performance in the epic of the breakthrough of the Suez Canal in 1973, and managed to achieve economic reform in this magnificent manner, can, surely, be competitive in the global arena provided that it makes full use of its several relative advantages. I think that the incessant increase in the volume of non-traditional exports affirms this truth.

We have ample of time and a grace period for years to come before enforcing the GATT on Egypt . During this time, we can develop our performance and settle our conditions. We must not recoil from this challenge no matter how tough it is, for many a new comer proved to be on a par with the pioneers in a trice, and many a developing country within years booked a place among the great in several domains, snatching their respect and admiration; Egypt is no less. Egypt, which opens to the world, works for stability in its region and in which the world trusts and invests; Egypt which maintains straightforward policies could never exercise double standard policies.

Worthmentiong in this point, is the necessity of achieving the aspired alteration in the educational cultural, and scientific tracks in order to keep pace with the variables of our developing world, match the requisites of modern progress and serve the objectives of development and its huge projects. We are in need of consolidating the innovation and initiation of principles, polishing up performance, respecting science, adhering to minuteness and objectivity, as well as the integrated calculation of all alternatives. Such principles are no less important than creating the atmosphere of investment. Actually, it is an integrated system without which no progress can be realized.

Brothers and Sisters,

We live in a world of democratic expansion that overtakes the old narrow concept which sees that democracy should be practised only by professional politicians. Democracy in its new concept is the democracy of the ordinary who takes part in determining his country's destiny with a deep sense of responsibility. It is the democracy of public opinion whose role is ever-increasing in decision-making . It reflects the sentiments of the people. It is also the democracy of national parties which gives due respect to political endeavours and is committed to the higher interests of the nation.

We belong to a country whose history since the turn of the past century is rife with honourable stances of a remarkable group who stood in defence of the people's rights to true democracy that surpasses the game of parties between the crown and colonialism. It has contributed in the enlightenment of public opinion and enflamed the Egyptian national feelings.

It has also played a major role in pushing forward democratic development.

When I first assumed office, my ambitions were to have our time-honoured country reach a society of open options that avails every citizen the opportunity to freely choose what he wants and reject what violates his rights and freedom, within the context of the values and heritage of the society. Thus a free society is formed that is capable of building the culture, art and science of the nation.

I have and still hope to have national parties that respect political action and are committed to the higher interests of the nation, respect legitimacy and law, and raise new generations on the love of the nation and service of the masses. A generation that defends the rights of the citizen, lays down the true basis of democracy, and stands firmly in defence of national unity deterring all evils of sedition and destruction.

I was positive that affording full freedom to the individual and nation will give rein to potentials and initiatives, and will revive hopes in building a capable nation protected from the blunders of the rule of the individual by democracy.

We have covered a long distance in laying down the basics of true democracy. We seek to broaden its scope and entrench its concepts in all aspects of life despite the hardships imposed on us in prolonged confrontation with the cohorts of violence and terrorism. Our determination will not waver until we realize our nation's goals in consolidating democracy so that every citizen will enjoy full freedom of opinion with no restrictions except those related to the interests of the nations.

I urge every sincere Egyptian, whether a thinker, a scientist, or an intellectual to exert maximum efforts until we attain this objective . We should maintain national unity in all matters related to the higher interests of the nation. We have to know when to close ranks in confronting dangers and challenges, and when to disagree when our opinions differ on means of realizing the general interest.

I believe that everyone concerned with national affairs is an active Egyptian who has the genuine will to serve Egypt. However, methods and means may differ between one group and another. There is no harm in that because discrepancies reveal the turth and the right path so long as there is a unified goal. Let us sort things out with an open-mind with no restrictions on means or methods, without obliterating our ultimate objectives.

Brothers and Sisters,

Egypt is a pioneer of peace. It will maintain its clear-cut stance in advocating a comprehensive and equitable peace, that will ensure cooperation among all peoples of the region, within the context of balanced obligations far from hegemony.

Our determination will not waver until a comprehensive peace is attained. Peace that will maintain the rights of all parties and guarantees co-existence among peoples of the Middle East.

We shall not be disheartened by attempts to impede or abort our march because we know that peace is the right option for all peoples of the region. It is the demand of the entire world that aspires for a comprehensive and equitable settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. A settlement that realizes stability and ends all wars which have attrited the potentials of the region for almost a century.

Peace does not mean that Egypt will give up its role in the region and in the world, or deny its national identity, or accept anything that encroaches upon its sovereignty and the requirements of its national security.

This will never take place because the peace we aspire and made our strategic choice is based on equal footing among partners. It provides a balanced security for all, realizes the interests of all parties, opens up to historical reconciliation, puts an end to all causes of conflicts and restores peace to the land of peace.

This is our concept of an effective peace with which we move on to the 21st century. Let us all consider Europe in the wake of World War II and East Asia following the Korean War, to realize how the Middle East can be transformed from a centre of tension and conflict to that of economic boom as it was the case with Europe and Asia.

We ask all countries to make of peace a strategic target as we have done, and to underline this aim in practical means through commitment to concluded agreements without backtracking whatever the pretexts might be, and putting negotiations back on track in accordance to the Madrid Conference terms of reference.

If we work hard for the sake of comprehensive peace as a strategic option for all parties until complete stability is attained in the Middle East, we should also maintain Egypt's strength in defence of its security. Preserving the potentials of the Armed Forces is the best means to guarantee peace.

Military relaxations will lead to an imbalance in this volatile part of the world.

We have never been war-mongers. We fight only in defence of our land, our honour and dignity. Egypt's power will continue to be at the service of peace, stability and progress and not inciting aggression and injustice.

In this context please allow me to great the brave Armed Forces who prove every day that the Egyptian military is a high school of patriotism, a den of heroes and martyrs, a shield for our nation, and the vigilant eye defending Arab sanctities and rights, and preserving the march of co-existence and progress.

I also salute the Egyptian police force, defenders of security and stability, who do not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the land and people. They storm into dangerous locations defending the homeland and security of the whole society. They deserve our heartfelt gratitude and recognition.

Brothers and Sisters,

We are determined to make up for the ills of the past, for Egypt is a great nation that deserves, through the efforts of its sons, to be a vital participant in the future global order and an active partner in shaping human civilization.

We have the opportunity and the circumstances. Our duty lies in opening doors widely without fear or hesitancy, in order to learn from the successful experiences of others, keep pace with the times , while preserving our identity and time-honoured heritage.

Egypt's particularity in location, history and civilization will not impede us from keeping abreast of the times, for isolation narrow-mindedness and confinement to the past limit Egypt's role as an integral part of the region. Due to its unique location, Egypt links north with south, east with west, gives and takes, and performs its role at the service of human civilization.

Those who fear to cope with the coming age deprive themselves of progress and are confined to backwardness and oblivion.

We live in a closely linked world which is governed by unified systems, criteria and markets. Distances have disappeared with a result that the world has become a small interrelated village.

We have surmounted huge obstacles and confronted great challenges so as to regain our capability for advancement, and become more competent to face future challenges. And now all circumstances are favourable to achieve great successes, God willing.

We have endured patiently and courageously. We did not deviate from the aspired goal, nor hesitate. We have been far-sighted and strong -willed even in the most dire crises.

It is for the simple fact that we have maintained our unity at times of dangers and challenges, refused to be confined to the past, and were keen to build on sound basis, and combined our legitimate ambitions with our true capabilities, we were not illuded by imagination and did not mix hope with illusion.

Brothers and Sisters,

We should not be distracted by anything that might interrupt our future aspirations which require our total devotion in a corporate unshaken solidarity.

The future belongs to all Egyptians both supporters and opposers, majority and minority, workers and employers, owners and tenants . We are all partakers on equal-footing in formulating our future which we mirror every single morning in the faces of our little ones on their way to school, an image that fills our hearts with optimism.

Let us all live up to what Egypt stands for so that Egypt could be capable of formulating a future worthy of it.

Let us give Egypt loyalty and endeavour, preserve its security and dignity, maintain its welfare because it is for the good of all.

Blessed art thou Egypt, a dignified proud nation and blessed are your dutiful great people.

And blessed be each hand that addds to the great edifice of the homeland in letter and spirit.

May God Almighty crown our endeavours with success and guide our steps along the path of welfare and prosperity. Peace be upon you.
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