SAUDI ARABIA: Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi meets with Saudi officials in the oil rich kingdom

Record ID: 189322

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi meets with Saudi officials in the oil rich kingdom
  • Date: 5th February 2014
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (FEBRUARY 5,2013) (REUTERS ) EGYPTIAN PRIME MINISTER HAZEM EL-BEBLAWI ENTERS NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM ROYAL GUARD EL-BEBLAWI SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPT PRIME MINISTER, HAZEM EL-BEBLAWI, SAYING: "This visit is not for one specific purpose focused on agreements on specific projects, as much as a confirmation of the close relationship between the two countries. It firstly conveys a message of thanks and gratitude from the Egyptian people to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the country's political support and economic support in all other fields." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EGYPTIAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPT PRIME MINISTER, HAZEM EL-BEBLAWI, SAYING: "There is a situation that needs modification, in that the current government has two vacant positions and there is a possibility of a third position becoming available, because there is a high probability that the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister will become a candidate in the next election, and this means that there will then be three vacant positions and this requires consideration." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPT PRIME MINISTER, HAZEM EL-BEBLAWI, SAYING: "We see that there are some practices (by Qatar), which Egypt perceives as unfriendly, where there has been a great amount of unfairness. We do not accept this and we reject it from our brother country who is playing against its other sister, this practice is inconsistent with what connects this region." ATTENDEES AT NEWS CONFERENCE EL-BEBLAWI SAYING THANK YOU AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE / STANDS UP NEWS CONFERENCE ATTENDEES AND EL-BEBLAWI STANDING FOR GROUP PHOTOGRAPH EXTERIOR OF NEWS CONFERENCE VENUE IN RIYADH
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6I0OYYKKADSP708AO13RG0O6Q
  • Story Text: Egypt's Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi visited key ally Saudi Arabia, a major financial supporter of Egypt's interim government, as part of a two-day official visit to the oil rich kingdom.
    El-Beblawi held meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Salman and senior officials on Wednesday (February 5), the final day of his visit.
    Speaking at a news conference in Riyadh, el-Beblawi said the visit was aimed to reconfirm the close ties between the two countries.
    "This visit was not for one specific purpose focused on agreements on specific projects, as much as a confirmation of the close relationship between the two countries. It firstly conveys a message of thanks and gratitude from the Egyptian people to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the country's political support and economic support in all other fields," he said.
    El-Beblawi said a cabinet reshuffle in Egypt will include the defence ministry because there was "high probability" that Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would stand for president.
    "There is a situation that needs modification in that the current government has two vacant positions and there is possibility of a third position becoming available, because there is high probability that the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister will become a candidate in the next election, and this means that there will then be three vacant positions and this requires consideration," he said.
    Army chief Sisi, now defence minister in Egypt's interim government, deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July after mass protests against his rule and is widely expected to announce his candidacy within days and win an election easily.
    Before he can run for president he must step down from his government post.
    El-Beblawi also spoke about Egypt's strained diplomatic ties with Qatar, which have soured since the army ouster of Mursi.
    "We see that there are some practices (by Qatar), which Egypt perceives as unfriendly, where there has been a great amount of unfairness. We do not accept this and reject it from our brother country who is playing against against its other sister, this practice is inconsistent with what connects this region," he said.
    Egypt has pursued a wide crackdown against Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood and designated it a terrorist group. Some members of the Brotherhood and other opponents of the government fled to Qatar.
    Most of the U.S.-aligned Gulf Arab monarchies, rattled by the rise of Islamists in the Middle East, were relieved when the Egyptian military stepped in to topple Mursi.
    Their hereditary rulers were close allies of Mubarak, and saw the rise of the Brotherhood in Egypt as a dangerous precedent that could embolden Islamists at home.
    Saudi Arabia last year pumped 4 billion USD into Egypt since the army takeover to help keep the economy afloat. Egypt also received hefty support from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
    During Mursi's year in office, Qatar lent or gave Egypt 7.5 billion USD.
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