Sisi reviews challenges facing Egypt, hopes for promising future

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met with representatives of the Egyptian society and discussed challenges facing the country and hopes for a promising future.

At the start of meeting, President Sisi asked the participants to stand a moment of silence mourning the martyrs of Egypt, according to presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef. 

President Sisi warned of repeated attempts to break the Egyptian will, harm the unity of the Egyptian people, drive a wedge among Egyptians against each other and cast doubts on everything by use of social media websites, Youssef said.

There are principles the Egyptian leadership is keen to preserve, including preserving values while running our internal and external affairs away from any opportunism and conspiracies and getting into alliances against a certain side, Youssef quoted President Sisi as having said.

Egypt's leadership is keen to take moderate and balanced decision and achieve consensus as long as it is possible both inside and outside Egypt but not at the expense of the country and its principles, Sisi said.

The president stressed once again that "we do not give in our rights, and at the same time we do not seize others' rights".

"We are patient with those harming us and leave them the chance to consider their stance", he noted.

"These firm principles help us achieve gains both inside and outside. Now everyone respects us", Sisi added. 

He said the maritime border issue has not been dealt with before in order not to harm the public opinion in the two countries with taking into consideration the political and security conditions in the region.

The president pointed out that Egypt shouldered the responsibility of protecting the Tiran and Sanafir Islands between Egypt and Saudi Arabia during the wars with Israel and even after the peace treaty with it.

President Sisi said Egypt's viewpoint on the two islands matches the republican decree issued in 1990, which was shelved by the United Nations in response to a Saudi request to restore the islands.

The president said that Egypt decided to float the islands issue after studying it well in order not to enter in a controversy leading to the isolation of Egypt.

President Sisi affirmed that all documents and discussions held so far proved that the two islands are Saudi, calling for avoiding debates about the two islands to leave the issue for the parliament which was elected by people.

The president pointed out that border demarcation with Cyprus helped the discovery of a major gas field, saying efforts are being exerted to demarcate the borders with Greece to benefit from the economic region with it.

Commenting on the murder of the Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, Sisi offered condolences for his family, hoping that Egypt could obtain any information about Egypt's national, Adel Mo'awad, who are missing since November 2015.

Relations with Italy are excellent, he noted.

He called on media outlets not to depend on social media as a sole source of information and to pay attention to allegations that may harm Egypt's stance.

As for freedoms and human rights, the president said the government backs the freedom of expression for all people, pointing out a role played by the National Council for Human Rights and NGOs to secure a resale of innocent in jails.

On the country's economic conditions, the president said the government attaches importance to ordinary people, adding the prices of basic goods will not increase because it is the responsibility of the State and army.

On Sinai, the president said that mega projects, including 10 marble factories are being carried out along with a number of housing projects and a university in areas close to the Suez Canal.

As for Egypt's foreign relations, the president pointed out that Egypt's relations are good with all world countries.

He called on Egyptian youths to work on fighting corruption and take part in municipal elections

Source: MENA