Jan.  25, 2001

An open dialogue with writers, thinkers on domestic, foreign issues

    He said that the book fair has become a point of attraction and a wide forum to present views and ideas and to discuss the issues of society.

    "Culture is of concern to politics, economy and sociology and all issues of society in all forms and shades, " he said.

    President Mubarak said that this year will be the focus to discuss the modernization of Egyptian society as we enter the new century.

    Minister of Information Safwat El-Sherif said that President Mubarak discussed at the meeting the domestic situation and also said that from the economic point of view, Egyptian economy faces some challenges and problems, which the government confronts with policies and methods to face changes which have affected the nature of Egyptian economy following the success which was realized over the past years in the economic reform process.    

President Mubarak said that the main challenges require that our movement in the coming stage be on three axes:

    First: to continue to encourage national and foreign investment, to provide an incentive climate in the Egyptian market in view of the importance of these investments in providing new job opportunities, to modernize the trade system and to attract modern technology to Egyptian industries and the Egyptian market.

    Second axis is to remove obstacles from the way of exports and to encourage Egyptian producers to have an orientation towards foreign markets through exports.

    Mubarak referred to what he said in his speech before a joint session of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council at the inauguration of the new Parliamentary term in which he said that the culture of export at all government or private levels should take first place in our economic orientation in the coming stage and we should, both government and organizations, explain free trade agreements and the relationship of Egyptian economy and the affect of these agreements on it.

    The President stressed that no economic action could be isolated from international agreements which make available and open the doors of exports before Egyptian producers.

    President Mubarak said that he follows debates in parliament in this connection and demands made to provide protection for national industries.

    "When we ask for protection, we should take into consideration that the protection provided in the past stopped development and had extremely negative effect on Egyptian products and on opening new markets and there was weak demand by consumers at home," Mubarak said.

    The President said: we have to explain in parliament to public opinion how we deal with international agreements and, at the same time, how we can improve Egyptian products.

    Egyptians should adopt the principle of buying and giving preference to Egyptian products which are competitive in price and quality.

    "We should be realistic and live our age in order not to lag behind," Mubarak added.

    Third axis is the issue of unemployment and providing new job opportunities for Egyptian youth. This axis receives the larger part of his attention and the attention of the government. This axis is related to the ability of Egyptian economy to attract investments and open new markets and giving attention to small and medium projects in addition to giving attention to new industrial areas in the governorates, particularly in upper Egypt, in addition to continuing to move forward, with studied steps, to carry out national projects, foremost among which is the project of the west of the Gulf of Suez which provides new opportunities for investment in a new manner.

    The President said: the government will present a draft law to the People’s Assembly. I hope that it will be debated taking into consideration the higher interest away from personal interests.

    The President referred to achievements being realized in the Toshka project in the south of the valley.

    I know that you have questions about several issues such as liquidity, the exchange rate and others. Be reassured, I stress what was said before that the Egyptian pound will not be floated and the exchange rate of the dollar will not be fixed.

    President Mubarak pointed out that the government was adopting a flexible currency policy related to local and international economic developments in a manner which serves our economic interests and the government adopts a policy of intervening with firmness to check those who do not observe the guidelines and law and shake confidence in the currency market in Egypt.

    He asked exchange companies to keep away from manipulation in raising the exchange rate of the dollar to serve narrow private interests. They should take into consideration that this harms the ordinary citizen. The President said: hands off the game of lowering under any name. All should stand behind the citizen’s interest.

    Moving to the political scene, President Mubarak said that People’s Assembly elections (Oct 18-Nov 15) represented a turning point in the development of political life and an advanced step in the political reform process in general.

    If there had been some negative acts, positive aspects were predominant, particularly a high national sense and interest in taking part in the electoral process which resulted in positive results.

    "Some say that feminist representation was not sufficient. But we are committed to law and the constitution," the President said.

    Referring to what was raised after the elections asking to go back to the slate system, the President said there was a careful study about this issue "because we do not adopt a law which is contrary to the constitution."

    Our decisions should be well-studied without resorting to high-sounding statements or haphazard action, the President said and pointed out that political parties should re-organize and develop themselves in order to have an effective presence.

    "Strong political parties which have a presence affecting political life or the street, whether this was the National Democratic Party (NDP) or others, is a guarantee to deepen the march of democracy," Mubarak said.

    President Mubarak said that Egyptian parties should play a role commensurate with the issues of society after the country has achieved independence and liberation, which represented national issues.

    "There is no outbidding on higher interests. We do not deal with issues in a manner which affects economy in order to seek exaggerated headlines," Mubarak added.

    President Mubarak called on writers and thinkers to shoulder their responsibility in the coming stage and to contribute to developing society at the political, economic, intellectual and cultural levels. They have the ability to be convincing and put issues before the wide base of the people.

    The President said that this role will, to a great extent, convince the base of the general orientations of society and make it understand challenges imposed on us by the changing world around us.

    President Mubarak assured writers and thinkers that his approach has been and shall continue to be -- that democracy and freedom of thought and expression are the bases of national action.

    In all our creative work we should observe our well-established traditions in order to ensure that our culture and our identity remain pure and rises above trivial matters.

    "Freedom should be practiced in the framework of full respect of the rules of law and preserving our values and our cultural and religious identity," Mubarak said.

    President Mubarak stressed the role of the state in protecting society from excessive practices which were contradictory to the concept of freedom and went beyond it to transgression on the freedoms of others and on the values of society.

    In this respect he pointed out that the Ministry of Culture is responsible, before public opinion and parliament, for what it issues or publishes. What is published by the private sector is subject to society and the rule of courts.

    President Mubarak said that maintaining the basic elements of creativity and freedom should emanate from the conscience of writers and thinkers.

    Egyptian television screened a discussion Tuesday evening which was attended by a group of thinkers on the recent banning of three novels issued by the General Organization of Culture Centers (GOCC), an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, and the decision taken by Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni dismissing (GOCC) Chairman. The discussion stressed that creativity did not mean going beyond the established traditions of society and law. It was considered that the novels contained obscene passages. They were condemned by the Minister of Culture

    President Mubarak dealt with foreign policy beginning with the Arab scene. He said that holding an Arab Summit in Cairo (Oct 21-22) was a turning point to support common Arab action.

    In this respect, President Mubarak underlined a number of considerations:

    First: that the summit was attended by all Arab countries without exception.

    Second: it was decided to hold Arab Summit meetings regularly under an initiative presented by Egypt. Consequently, a Summit Meeting will be held annually, President Mubarak said that this would give a chance to clear any difference or misunderstanding.

    Third: consideration was to support the Intifada of the Palestinian people (which erupted on Sept 28 following the provocative visit of Ariel Sharon to Jerusalem) and setting up a follow-up committee.

    The President stressed that Arab rapprochement which was made possible by the summit would open new horizons for common Arab action to which the President has called on many occasions.

    President Mubarak said that setting up an Arab Common Market was necessary and inevitable in the interest of all Arab countries whose population is on the increase and the demands of whose peoples are increasing.

    "This will be in the interest of all and not in the interest of one country alone," Mubarak said.

    President Mubarak said that Egypt has entered into a number of free trade agreements with a number of Arab countries with which Egypt is linked by large trade relations and whose economic systems permit this.

    "In order that these agreements may become a nucleus for a common market, we follow the pattern which was followed by European countries before us and which are now in a better position than we are at the economic and social levels," Mubarak added.

    President Mubarak spoke about the problem of population increase and the burden borne by Egyptian economy. This was a serious problem, he said, and the burden of providing job opportunities, education and medical treatment increases year after year.

    "Dealing with Arab issues, President Mubarak said that the Palestine issue receives first attention although it is extremely complicated, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak seek to reach a peace agreement at the earliest opportunity," President Mubarak said.

    "Big problems remained but there are indications of a rapprochement in points of view over some issues," the President said. There are differences on other issues.

    "But there is a fact represented in a new step, namely that all issues which were closed in the past and nobody dared to approach, are all being put on the negotiating table such as Jerusalem, refugees, land, security and ending the conflict etc.," Mubarak added.

    Although violence escalated, this did not affect the determination of the two sides to continue to negotiate and attempt to reach an agreement.

    President Mubarak asked the two sides to take into consideration that there are forces which seek to strike at progress in peace talks.

    "This is a challenge which they have to face with courage," the President said. He recalled that late Israeli Prime Minister Rabin faced a similar situation.

    Commenting on the decision taken by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to suspend the Taba talks following the death of two Israelis in Tulkarm, President Mubarak said that there should be stable policies to inspire confidence between the parties and in public opinion in order to avoid hesitant overnight decisions.

    The crucial point is that the Taba talks should produce a written document on issues and be signed by the two sides.

    President Mubarak said that there are elements which affect the Palestinian-Israeli track represented in the last paper presented by former US President Bill Clinton. "This paper could have been ordered in a better way," he said.

    President Mubarak referred to the personal effort he exerted to settle this conflict. He pointed out that reaching a settlement is being affected by Israeli elections next month which represent an element of pressure on the time limit to reach an agreement.

    President Mubarak criticized statements made by contestants in Israeli elections. He refused that Egypt be involved in irresponsible statements in which contestants made outbidding for internal purposes and irresponsible statements on both sides which were provocative and based on non-existent assumptions and warnings which were rejected.

    He referred in this respect to what was said that if Egypt entered Sinai to support the Palestinian Intifada, this would be going beyond the red line.

    The President referred to another statement threatening to strike the High Dam. In comment on these statements, the President said: "we respect our agreements and pledges. We pay no heed to provocative attempts and we do not rush after irresponsible statements. We have a serious understanding of conditions in that area and what takes place around us and what takes place inside Israel."

    Addressing these people, President Mubarak said: listen. If you are talking for internal consumption, this does not concern us. We are capable of defending our nation. We have trained armed forces ready to defend the nation and not for aggression. I say to those who made statements that we are capable and shall not tolerate any aggression under any circumstances. At the same time, we do not violate agreements.

    President Mubarak went on: it is futile for some to say we shall break Egypt. This happened one time in 1967. It shall not be repeated. We have learned the lesson. They should keep away from statements which aim at winning elections. They should stop the race of provocative statements which create problems.

    Replying to questions by thinkers and writers about the role of research centers, President Mubarak said Egypt welcomed research centers so long as they were compatible with the interests of the nation and working according to these interests.

    The President said that Egypt supported the freedom of thought and the freedom of creativity. It is an unprecedented freedom and we should maintain it and not to give a chance to others to undermine it.

    Replying to a question on the freedom of expression under the cultural open-door policy and the open cosmic village, the President said: yes, there is freedom but we do not accept what is contrary to our traditions. The Ministry of Culture is responsible before society and parliament for any publication issued by it.

    Publications by the private sector are judged by the judiciary. We Should make sure that the freedom of expression is in line with rules and values compatible with conscience.

    On the link between privatization and sale to non-Egyptians, Minister of Information Safwat El-Sherif said that President Mubarak pointed out that the world followed that approach to pump investments in economy to find job opportunities.

    The President said: let us be accurate in what we say. We should not exaggerate in talking about problems. Unemployment represents 7.2 percent of the labour force and not of the population. The people should learn the facts from the press.

    The President said that anything which was harmful to national economy was harmful to citizens.

    "We should look after the interests of our people and be keen on the future of our children. We should not rush in the interest of anyone abroad," Mubarak said.

    As regards the percentage of feminist representation, President Mubarak said that he hoped that this representation would increase within the framework of the constitution and law.

    On the importance of presenting facts and adopting the approach of frankness, President Mubarak said that the principle is that facts should be presented to the people. Sometimes there are issues in which caution should be observed when they are discussed because they might have a harmful effect on the people or the state.

    Maybe they should be dealt with in a limited framework in the interest of the people and in the interest of the nation.

    On the issue of exports and its importance particularly as businessmen did not realize the export goals, President Mubarak pointed out that exports increased in the first quarter of this year compared to previous years. The government is exerting effort and adopting several policies in this connection.

    On the importance of having an Arab encyclopedia, President Mubarak said that work should begin to compile one regardless of the cost and the time needed.

    On Egyptian-Sudanese relations, President Mubarak said that relations with Sudan are extremely normal at the diplomatic and other levels. There is no problem. On the contrary, Egypt contributes in and seeks conciliation between South and North and exerts every sincere effort to bring points of view closer.

    President Mubarak entered a dialogue with the Writer Mohamed Sayed Ahmed on challenges facing the Arab area in the light of changes in the peace process and changes in the US Administration and the importance of the role of Egypt as a pivotal country and the issues raised by these changes as regards the Egyptian role.