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Africa North

Egypt army would intervene in case of chaos: minister

2011-02-10

[Dawn] The army would be forced to intervene if anti-government protests push Egypt into chaos, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Wednesday, according to the state news agency. "We have to preserve the constitution, even if it is amended," Abul Gheit told Al-Arabiya television, according to the MENA news agency. "He warned that if chaos occurs, the armed forces will intervene to control the country, a step, he said, which would lead to a very dangerous situation,"the news agency said, paraphrasing the interview. Gheit's remarks came the day after Egypt's Vice President Omar Suleiman ... Vice president of Egypt. From 1993 until his appointment to that office in 2011 he was Minister without Portfolio and Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate (EGID)... warned those protesting in the street against Mubarak risk provoking a situation in which a coup d'etat was possible. Suleiman's statement was dismissed by many of the protesters on the streets of Cairo, and denounced as a threat by one of the most powerful of opposition groups, the Mohammedan Brotherhood. "This amounts to a threat that is unacceptable in the eyes of the Egyptian people," Mohammed Mursi, a front man for the Islamist group. "The protesters have imposed a new legitimacy, and this legitimacy should be respected, for it cannot be threatened," he said. Since January 25, Egypt has been gripped by mass protests against the government, with hundreds of thousands taking part in street rallies and many occupying a key square in downtown Cairo and a street near parliament. The demonstrators want Mubarak to step down immediately, but he has vowed to hang on until presidential elections in September, in order, he says, to ensure an orderly transition in power. Opposition parties want major constitutional reform to allow them to compete in the presidential and legislative elections on a level playing field.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Abul Gheit: Whoever Wants to Mess with Lebanon Stability Will Have to Face Local, Arab Foes

2011-01-21

"Look upon my vapors, ye mighty, and tremble!" [An Nahar] Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has stressed that Leb will not be able to "turn the page on political liquidations forever without achieving justice," noting that stability in Leb was "everyone's essential demand." "Any party that wants to mess with it (stability) will have to confront several foes -- Lebanese, Arabs and others," Abul Gheit said an interview with Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai to be published Friday. "Egypt is in contact with the Lebanese parties, as well as with Arab and international parties, and we're using these contacts to stress the elements of the Egyptian stance and help achieve the difficult equation: preserving stability in Leb together with adhering to achieving justice," he added. Asked about what caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri was required to do during this period, Abul Gheit said: "We believe that Sheikh Saad Hariri has taken constructive and positive stances for the sake of his country throughout the past months, and it will be unfair that he be asked to endorse stances that go beyond what he has already voiced." "Egypt totally sympathizes with Saad Hariri's position and appreciates his stances, and we believe that his vision for Leb can bring together the biggest number of his country's parties, and it is a vision that is supported by Egypt," the Egyptian minister stressed.

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Africa North

Egypt recalls Vatican envoy over pope remarks

2011-01-12

[Ma'an] Egypt is recalling its Vatican envoy for consultations over remarks by Pope Benedict XVI on Coptic Christians seen as an "interference" in its affairs, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. What did Benedict do wrong this time, call for peace? The action follows "new statements from the Vatican concerning Egypt which are considered by Egypt as unacceptable interference in its internal affairs," the ministry front man said in a statement. Egypt's "internal affairs' seem to involve off-duty cops going for a train ride and potting a few Christians. But he was off duty, so it's no big thing. The pontiff has expressed repeatedly his solidarity with the Copts and called on world leaders to protect them in the aftermath of a New Year's Day church bombing that killed 21 people as worshipers emerged from midnight mass in Alexandria. "World leaders" don't actually protect anybody unless they're George Bush (Elder or Younger). What they actually do is wring their hands and 'deplore,' which leaves no bruises. "Egypt will not allow any non-Egyptian faction to interfere in its internal affairs under any pretext," the statement said. "The Coptic question is specifically an internal Egyptian affair." "We are approaching our own final solution..." The Vatican declined to comment on Egypt's decision. "I have nothing to say," front man Federico Lombardi told AFP. So the Swiss Guards won't be showing up in Cairo any time soon... A day after the attack on the Al-Qiddissin [The Saints] church, the pope appealed for the "concrete and constant engagement of leaders of nations," in what he termed a "difficult mission." At his New Year's Day mass, Benedict underscored that "humanity cannot display resignation in the face of negative forces of selfishness and violence, it cannot get accustomed to conflicts which claim victims and endanger the future of people." On Sunday Benedict again voiced solidarity with Egypt's Copts -- two days after they marked their Christmas, celebrated on January 7. "I salute the Coptic faithful present here to whom I renew my expression of closeness," the pope told thousands of people gathered in Saint Peter's Square. Then on Monday the pope said the attack was "yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt... effective measures for the protection of religious minorities". According to the Cairo statement, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit wrote his Vatican counterpart after the church bombing saying Cairo "objects to any foreign bid" to use the attack to promote efforts to protect Middle East Christians. Benedict had already come under harsh criticism for speaking out for the Copts. Egypt's top Mohammedan holy man, Ahmed al-Tayeb, criticized the pope's call on world leaders to defend the Copts. "I disagree with the pope's view, and I ask why did the pope not call for the protection of Mohammedans when they were subjected to killings in Iraq?" the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the oldest Islamic seat of learning and Sunni Mohammedan authority, told a news conference on January 2. At the time the Vatican stressed that the pontiff had shown solidarity with the Coptic community as well as concern for the consequences of the violence for the Christian and Mohammedan population. "Therefore we cannot see how the pope's approach to bring everybody to accept non-violence can be considered meddling," Vatican front man Federico Lombardi said. Lombardi said the Vatican referred to "an attack against a Christian church and therefore we are concerned about Christian minorities but that does not mean that we will justify or minimize violence against the faithful of other religions." No one has yet grabbed credit for the Alexandria church attack, which came after threats to Egypt's Copts from the Al-Qaeda-linked group in Iraq that claimed an October 31 attack on a Storied Baghdad cathedral. geriatric President Hosni Mubarak has blamed "foreign hands" as being behind the incident. Copts account for 10 percent of Egypt's mostly Mohammedan population of 80,000 million, and are the largest Christian community in the Middle East.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Abul Gheit Warns Iran Over Meddling in Lebanese Affairs

2010-11-27

[An Nahar] Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Friday warned from Iran's alleged meddling in the internal affairs of Gulf countries, Iraq and Leb. "Iranian meddling in the internal affairs of Gulf countries should not be allowed," the minister told the Qatari al-Sharq newspaper. "The security of Gulf countries is a priority for Egypt," he said, adding "Iraq and Leb should be left alone." "Arab societies should grow and develop away from any attempt to use these states and Arab countries as competition cards between Iran and Western powers," Abul Gheit said.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Abul Gheit Denies Egypt Arming Lebanese Groups

2010-10-08

[An Nahar] Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit denied Cairo was arming Lebanese Sunni groups. He also denied Egypt was training or financing these groups. "This is a lie," Abul Gheit said in a television interview. "Some people in Leb want to have a single control over the country, and this issue is linked to Iran," he stressed. "Financing, arming or training of militias is against Egypt's method, because this issue will lead to the destruction of Leb," Abul Gheit thought. He said Saudi Arabia, like Egypt, agrees on the need to support Leb.

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Olde Tyme Religion

West warned Islam insults risk 'civilization clash'

2010-09-30

[Al Arabiya] Kings, emirs and presidents from Mohammedan nations have made pressing appeals at the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society for the West to clampdown on attacks on Islam which they warned is a growing threat to international security. In speeches to the U.N. General Assembly, leaders said that "Islamophobia" was causing a growing Mohammedan-West divide and one top Arab minister put the international community on guard against a "civilization clash." A threat to burn the Koran by a fringe U.S. church, controversy over a proposed mosque near the scene of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York and assaults on Islamic symbols in European countries have been a major talking point for Mohammedan nations. Normally strong allies of the West have spoken out at the U.N. against the growing religious tensions in the past week. Many were embarrassed by comments by Iran's President Mahmoud Short Round Ahmadinejad linking the U.S. government to 9/11, diplomats said. But Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, who has launched western-backed diplomatic initiatives to settle wars ranging from Sudan to the Israel-Paleostinian conflict, condemned attempts to link Islam with terrorism. He partly blamed the U.S. "War on Terror" declared after Sept. 11. "We disagree with the attribution of this so-called terrorism to the Islamic religion because this -- in addition to being incorrect -- is a historical injustice that is refuted by evidence from recent history." He said "gratuitous violent actions" in the United States, Europe and Asia in the late 20th century were never labeled as being American, European or Asian terrorism. "This violence was attributed to its underlying political, economic, social and even ideological causes, without attributing it to a particular religion, country or idea." "Regrettable" incidents Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit condemned "regrettable and appalling incidents that have increasingly touched Mohammedans and Islam, repeatedly and sometimes systematically in certain cases." He added: "We find the West, in general, being drawn into a clash with the Mohammedan world. This clash will serve no one except faceless myrmidons and those who hold perverted ideas on both sides. It will not be in the interest of security and stability in the world." Gheit called for western governments to take action, including passing laws. "We call upon all countries and especially governments, to assume their responsibility to confront the specter of a dreadful religious and civilization clash." King Abdullah II of Jordan said it is "essential to resist forces of division that spread misunderstanding." He called for an annual World Interfaith Harmony Week to promote tolerance. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak told the U.N. assembly that the world's 1.5 billion Mohammedans were offended by "attempts to demonize Islam." He added: "It intensifies the divide between the broad Mohammedan world and the West."

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Home Front: Politix

Egyptian minister: Obama told me he is a Muslim

2010-06-13

This was a statement by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Nile-TV. It was made on the «Round table show". This is the statement recorded: Adul Gheit said he had a one-on-one meeting with Obama, where the US President told him that He was still a Muslim, the son of a Muslim father, the step son of Muslim stepfather, that his half brothers in Kenya are Muslims, and that he was sympatetic towards the Muslim agenda. Adul Gheit claimed Obama told the Arabs to show patience. Obama promised that once he overcame some domestic issues, like the Health care reform, he would show the Muslim World how to deal with Israel. Source

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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Egypt to allow only 100 world activists into Gaza

2009-12-31

[Al Arabiya Latest] Protest leaders stranded in Cairo accepted an Egyptian offer early Wednesday to allow only 100 out of about 1,300 protesters into blockaded Gaza after the activists staged demonstrations and a hunger strike. The decision split delegates from more than 40 countries who came to Cairo planning to reach the Palestinian enclave, which shares the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said earlier at a press conference that his country would allow some of the protesters to enter Gaza. "We are looking into allowing a limited number...in the coming days," he said. He accused other protesters of "conspiring" against Egypt and said they could remain "on the street."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran slams Saudi, Egypt remarks on nuclear issue

2009-12-19

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has reacted to remarks by his Egyptian and Saudi counterparts over the country's nuclear program. Last week in a press conference in Manama, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit expressed concern over Iran's nuclear dispute with the West. "Iran is a co-signer of the [Nuclear] Non-Proliferation Treaty and has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, but we tell Tehran from the [Persian] Gulf that they need to be cautious about not losing the international community's confidence through its actions," he said. "When there are suggestions that the [Iranian nuclear] program could be of a military nature we find that to be deeply concerning because the Middle East will fail in its endeavor to be a nuclear and weapons of mass destruction free-zone," he added. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mottaki reacted to the comments, saying it was unlikely that the remarks were made by the Egyptian officials, but if true, Cairo had better think twice over its stands. "If these remarks are found to be true, we advise [our] Egyptian friends to deliberate ... on their remarks, as such stances are not to the interest of Islamic and Arab countries," he said, adding that it was Israel, with 200 nuclear warheads in its possession, not Iran that posed a "real threat" to the region. Mottaki also reacted to remarks by his Saudi counterpart, Saud al-Faisal, who had said in a recent interview with International Herald Tribune that he was "suspicious" about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and that Tehran should never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. The Iranian foreign minister said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, which left no doubt over the issue. Despite the fact that no evidence has been published to the contrary, the Western countries accuse Iran, a member of the NPT and the IAEA, of seeking nuclear weapons.

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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Palestinians to sign unity deal Oct. 26: Egypt FM

2009-10-07

[Al Arabiya Latest] Rival Palestinian factions are to sign a long-delayed reconciliation deal in Cairo on Oct. 26, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said on Monday after meeting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. "We agreed to hold a meeting for Palestinian factions in Cairo on Oct. 25 before signing a reconciliation agreement on Oct. 26," he told a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh. "Arab officials and maybe officials from outside the Arab world might attend the signing of the agreement as witnesses."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran denies Hizbullah operating in Egypt

2009-04-16

[Jerusalem Post Front Page] After an Egyptian official said Hizbullah would pay "a heavy price" for what Cairo alleges were attempts to carry out terror attacks inside the country, Iran dismissed the accusations as an "old trick" aimed at influencing the Lebanese parliamentary elections, and accused Israel of involvement. "Labels against... Hizbullah and (its chief Sayyed) Hassan Nasrallah are an old and frayed trick and will not achieve anything," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying by Iran's Fars news agency. Mottaki also said Israel and "hands from outside the region" were seeking to "create problems" in the June 7 elections. "The Zionist regime will not succeed in this political plot," he said. Meanwhile, Hizbullah deputy head Naim Kassem reiterated the group's insistence that Cairo's claims were fabricated. He said Egypt wanted to muddy Hizbullah's name and image, and get back at the group for calling on Cairo to open the Rafah border crossing. "We have one enemy, that's Israel," said Kassem. "Egypt is not our enemy." Cairo and Hizbullah have been on a collision course since last week, when Egyptian security forces arrested 49 people accused of plotting to carry out attacks against tourists in the Sinai Peninsula. The investigation carried out by the Egyptians even resulted in fire exchanges between Egyptian officers and Sinai Beduin when the officers wanted to search the Beduin's residence for Hizbullah terrorists on Monday night. Furthermore, Hizbullah loyalists purchased a building in Cairo and several buildings in the Sinai and were using them as bases, Egyptian sources claimed. On Wednesday, a top official was quoted by Al Ahram as saying that Egypt would not necessarily attack Hizbullah installations or kill members of the terror group, but Hizbullah members, including ministers in the Lebanese government, might be banned from entering Egypt. After the interrogation of Hizbullah suspects in Egypt is finished, "treatment of the organization will be different from what it has been in the past," the official promised. Animosity between the Sunni African country and the Shi'ite terror group flared in the wake of Israel's Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip, when Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah called on Egyptians to storm the streets in protest. Back then, Egyptian officials fumed at Nasrallah and accused him of trying to provoke a coup d'etat in Egypt. But recent developments also stem from historical animosity between Sunni-Arab Egypt and Shi'ite-non-Arab Iran, Hizbullah's patron and enabler. On Tuesday, the larger regional conflict implicit in the Egypt-Hizbullah clash became explicit when Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit told the London-based Asharq Alawsat that "Iran, and Iran's followers want Egypt to become a maid of honor for the crowned Iranian queen when she enters the Middle East." He was referring to Hizbullah's activity in Egypt, which Cairo interprets as Iranian meddling in its internal affairs. Meanwhile, Al Quds al Arabi reported Wednesday that Jordan had raised its level of alert following the allegations of Hizbullah activity in Egypt. According to the London-based paper, the move came despite the lack of specific warnings on possible terror cells working in the Hashemite kingdom. Apart from the possibility that Hizbullah sleeper cells might be operating in the country, the monarchy also fears that cells affiliated with the Sunni terror group al Qaida might attempt to infiltrate Israel via the Jordanian border, the report said.

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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Arab League tells Israel: Accept Saudi initiative now or never

2009-03-30

Arab leaders in Qatar for the Arab League summit sent Israel an ultimatum Sunday: Accept the Saudi Peace Initiative or it will be rescinded. The draft proposal of the statement states: "The peace initiative being proposed today will not be on offer for a long time. Arab commitment to this initiative is dependent on Israeli acceptance." The draft proposal was formulated by the Arab foreign ministers, and will be presented to the Arab League's leaders Monday for approval. The wording is a compromise between the hardline Arab countries, mainly Syria and Qatar, and the moderates, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Egypt is to be represented at the summit by a very low-level official after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit declined to participate, reportedly due to anger at Qatar for making overtures to Hamas. Egypt has demanded Qatar not invite Iranian President Mohammed Ahmadinejad to the summit, and stop its criticism of Egypt on the Al-Jazeera network, which began after Operation Cast Lead. Most reports over the past week indicated that Ahmadinejad would not come to the summit, although he could still show up by surprise. Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, arrived in Qatar on Sunday despite a warrant for his arrest issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, on charges of involvement in the massacre of his countrymen in Darfur. Palestinian Authority sources said they hoped the summit would not widen the breach among Palestinians, and called on Arab leaders to support the PLO and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) will be attending meetings associated with the summit. Speaking by phone from Doha, he told Haaretz that he had met with officials from Yemen and other Gulf countries. "My opinion, which is what I represent here, is that the international community must force Israel to accept the two-state solution and work to establish a Palestinian state, and if not, a diplomatic price should be paid," Tibi said.

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