Mubarak: Toshka project among national priorities
Egypt, Politics, 12/21/99
On whether Toshka project will be neglected or has been
found worthless, President Mubarak said Toshka is great and
excellent venture but we all have to realize and remember that
it is a long-term project not todayûs project, Northwest Suez
also is an excellent venture and we are determined to establish
northwest of Suez also a special zone, a free trade zone with its
own law which will encourage Egyptian, Arab and foreign
investors.
Returning to Toshka President Mubarak said there is a
mistaken view of dimensions of the current phase during which
we fix priorities of national action and redistribute expenditure
on projects in order not to squander public financial allocation.
In short, we are containing expenditure in the state in order to
save as much funds as possible to direct them to priorities of
national action and Toshka falls within this context.
To be more clear, Toshka coming with in this framework
means that Toshka , fundamentally is an irreversible venture as
action has in fact started there and we cannot let money spent
on the project- to go down the drain, although no tremendous
sums have been spent there as some imagine, he added.
President Mubarak said, "the private sector is now working in
Toshka, money is invested there and there is no backtracking
or else the loss will be great."
He stressed that Toshka project is very important to Egypt ,
studies for this project started in the sixties, were again
debated in the seventies and now is the nineties the project is
under construction.
Toshka is a new wide valley, fit for cultivation, President
Mubarak said referring that he was looking for a great
agricultural project which realizes food security for Egypt.
Major companies are now working in the southern valley in
Toshka, digging canals and paving and cultivating lands,
President Mubarak said stressing that Toshka is an
irrevocable, long-term agricultural project.
President Mubarak also underlined the importance of the
north-south Suez project as well as that of Shark El-Tafria
(East Port Said) project.
"These Mega projects are calmly but firmly carried out as we
know exactly where to invest our financial resources," he said.
President Mubarak denied that there is excess in expenditures
in unstudied projects. The size of expenditures was defined
according to the priorities of projects.
"Curbing expenditure is the prime issue at present discussed
and great concentration, is focused on the mega projects on
condition that they yield great income so as to promote Egypt's
economy," he stressed.
President Mubarak also referred to a number of procedures
which will be undertaken by the government including curing
expenditures, covering the government needs of local
produced vehicles and determining the specifications of
importation.
The President also called for exploiting all human and material
resources and wealth noting, that directives are given to the
government to proceed in this direction.
President Mubarak said Egypt possesses vast amounts of
natural gas and that important projects will be carried out to
exploit and export this vital wealth.
President Mubarak also urged for brushing aside bureaucracy
as doors are open before Egypt thanks to its good relations
with all world countries.
On the next elections, President Mubarak referred to the need
to widen representation regarding opposition, woman,
Christians, or scientists and said he is the most keen on
achieving such a representation that reflects a good image of
the homeland.
"Anyway I am more concerned over behavior during election
process than over the issue of representation," the President
said.
Concluding, President Mubarak said he had given strict
directives that there must be no interference by the
administration in elections in the interest of a certain candidate.
He cited as a proof of this that a large number of members of
the National Democratic Party were not nominated by the
party which nominated others to run in elections in the NDP
name. "Those whom the party did not choose, ran in the
elections as independent candidate and won the seat against
those chosen by the party a matter that proves the
noninterference of the administration," he said.
But he noted that what is deplorable is the behavior witnessed
during election process, the violence which is rejected, coming
to blows, using knives, gun shots, and squandering money, a
really unfortunate and regrettable behavior.
The President voiced hope that the next elections be held in a
better atmosphere without any interference from the
administration, without violence or excesses.
Minister of Information Safwat al Sherif said the first session of
Egyptian Saudi talks tacked Arab developments progress of
the peace process and resumption of talks between Syria and
Israel. Sherif said the two sides stressed the importance of
achieving a just and comprehensive peace that guarantees all
legitimate rights of the Arab peoples.
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