Need To Shield GCC From ‘Parochial’ Interests: Sisi ‘No Going Back’ KUWAIT CITY, Nov 20: Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister, De-fense Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Abdul-Fatah Al-Sisi neither confirmed nor denied his plan to contest the presidential elections as he deflected questions in this regard, while discussing the history and problems of his country in a recent interview. The situation at the Egyptian Ministry of Defense headquarters, where Al-Sisi’s office is located, is quite different from other places. Here, everybody knows his responsibility and does it to close perfection. Along with Al-Khaleej Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ahmad Ismail Behbehani and Al-Anba daily Editor-in-Chief Yousef Khaled Al-Marzouq, we conducted the interview in an exploratory manner rather than journalistic, with a man saddled with enormous responsibility of protecting Egypt and its borders, especially after realizing the aspiration of citizens to end the Muslim Brotherhood regime. We wanted to know where the largest Arab nation is heading and what will happen to the country that came out of the 1967 defeat. Al-Sisi talked about Egypt during this defeat and its victory in the 1973 War, as well as the economy and population explosion. The discussion also touched religious, security and social situations; in addition to co-existence within the blessed territory. He presented data and pieces of evidences, apart from some details about himself. During the interview, Al-Sisi proved he is fully aware of his country’s problems, which started in the 1967 defeat or what is termed as ‘June Setback’. He dissected the problems and proposed solutions. He spoke in a manner that shows he is a man with broad civilization religiously, socially and economically. Following are excerpts from the interview: Question: Considering the current situation in Egypt, specifically the citizens’ call for you to contest the presidential election, are you running for the presidency? Answer: Will that please everybody? Will some foreign powers be pleased with it? Will I regard it as a solution to Egypt’s problems? Anyway, let us wait and see what the future holds for us. Q: Your people love you. Other countries, which are concerned about the security, stability and future of Egypt, find you acceptable. This impression is glaring even during the regime of the Muslim Brotherhood. The system of governance under that regime hurt several countries, as well as the Egyptians. This is why we feel that if you are in charge of the State, it will serve as guarantee for citizens and those countries. It will also open doors for balanced economic agreements between them and Egypt, because such agreements are useful in sorting out implications of what happened in 1967 whose effects are clearly seen in your country. Effects of the defeat were magnified during the regime of the Muslim Brotherhood. For this, everybody should struggle to solve the problems. The solution requires the presence of a man who understands the real situation and the problems of the country. In this manner, you will play a crucial role in the next stage, which is very essential due to social, political, economic, security and historical considerations. As you are aware, many countries are keen about the security and stability of Egypt. They did not hide their concern when the Muslim Brotherhood was in control of the government, in the same manner that they did not hide their sigh of relief when the government collapsed. To prevent recurrence of the incident; most Egyptians, Arabs and non-Arabs feel you are the right person for this stage. Why do you think Mohamad Morsi chose you as Defense Minister? A: God Almighty empowers and removes whoever pleases Him. When I urged the citizens to support the revolution and to freely express their aspiration towards ending the unusual situation, I never doubted their response even for a second. Millions of citizens took to the streets and gathered in public squares; not tens, hundreds or thousands. It was a clear indication that we had a popular revolution, not a military coup. Yes, I never doubted the big ambition of the nation to end the unusual security situation; hence, a road map was drawn for the realization of this ambition. The Muslim Brotherhood controlled the entire nation, while threatening to confront the Army and the people in order to prevent any movement. Members of the group made threats through the media and they didn’t listen to any advice, particularly the recommendation of the Army to respond to the demands of the participants in the June 30 revolution. Q: A high-ranking Egyptian military personality visited Kuwait recently. He is one of the decision-makers in your Army. When we asked him why Morsi chose you as Minister of Defense, he lifted his index finger as a sign of testimony, saying it was the will of God. You know that the first tool of change in any country is the Army. You also know the revolutions of nations are not enough to make a change; thus, the need for military support and you agreed on this so God continues to bless your steps. We want to know if the issue is really settled. Will the current incidents in Egypt affect the entire country? A: Yes, the issue was settled. Some countries, which supported the Brotherhood’s ruling, are now aware that what happened on June 30 was not a military coup. It was a popular revolt against a regime rejected by the nation. The current incidents are minor repercussions which will not affect anything. Q: Will Egypt change its allies or its alliance with the US and the EU, especially now that there is certain complicity between Egypt and Russia? A: It is not wise to have relations with a party and then change it suddenly for specific positions because that move is illogical. We are seeking for balanced relationships with all countries based on mutual respect, without interfering in internal issues or dictatorship. Q: You are a man with deep knowledge of his community’s security, military and historical issues. Will you prevent your country from acquiring this knowledge and stay away from its administration? A: I don’t have an answer to that question. Let us just wait what is in store for us in the coming days. Q: We met some prominent personalities in Cairo and we asked them about the possibility of you becoming the next president of Egypt. Most of them do not want a military person in this position. However, we pointed out to them that the person who announced the fifth republic of France was General Charles De Gaulle and General Franco was considered a miracle worker in Spain when he ended the civil war. What is your comment on this? A: I’d rather talk about the problems of Egypt. Maybe, you are the best messenger for your country. We advise you to protect it and don’t waste the opportunity because you are in better conditions. Don’t be fooled by fake modern rhetoric, because I am concerned about the safety of the Gulf countries as I am for my country. Protect your country so don’t lose the best blessings — safety, security, stability and good living conditions. By: Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 21:19:29 +0000
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