New Delhi: India and Egypt can play a dominant role in shaping a new International order, said Hon'ble Foreign Minister of Egypt, Mr Nabil Fahmy, while delivering a talk on Developments in Egypt and the Region at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) on December 5, 2013. The Minister appreciated India’s strategic stand towards the political changes in Egypt.
Highlighting the importance of India, the Minster said that he chose India as the first destination in his tour of Asia.
Speaking about the drafting of a new ‘democratic’ constitution, by the summer of 2014, the Minister expressed hope that the move would strengthen people’s faith in the system of governance in Egypt by political reconciliation and by creating democratic institutions and by getting their economy started.
There is a vacuum in the Middle East and in future Egypt will play a more important role in the region and will act as a bridge between the Arab world and Africa, said the Minister.
The Minister viewed the Arab uprisings as fundamental transformations of the society and not merely a political change. He identified the youth of country, free flow of information and bad governance as the three primary reasons for the uprisings in 2011, 2013.
Emphasising on the need to evolve a foreign policy that is Egypt centric, he said that Egypt does not have global ambitions but aspires to be an important regional player.
Speaking on the role of Military in Egypt he said that the Army’s role is to ensure stability in the country. He said the second uprising in Egypt was not a military coup but an exceptional situation where the people came out demanding a change.
Speaking on Muslim Brotherhood, he expressed reservations on the ideology but said that they were a part and parcel of the democratic process, still unfolding in the country.
Terming sectarianism as a cancer in the region, he said that while Egypt has not faced the problem internally, there are serious implications for all.
Responding to a question on Egypt’s stand on Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the minister categorically said that Egypt would not sign the convention.
On Palestinian issue he said that Egypt will continue to play an important role and emphasised on the need to address the problem through negotiations. On Syria, the minister expressed his disapproval of the recent chemical attacks and said that the united Syria would have a positive impact on regional stability. He also welcomed the recent developments on the Iranian nuclear issue.
India, Egypt to Play a Decisive Role in Shaping New International Order