Britannia Radio

having trouble viewing this email click here.

The MEMRI Daily — Egypt: July 12, 2010 The following is research published today on the MEMRI Egypt Studies Project, including reports from the Special Dispatch Series and from the MEMRI TV project. For more from the MEMRI Egypt Studies Project visit http://www.memri.org/content/en/country.htm?country=egypt. *Special Dispatch Series Special Dispatch No. 3090–Syria/Egypt/Inter-Arab Relations Egyptian Government Daily: Syria Committed to Iranian Agenda Introduction: Geagea's Visit to Egypt Increases Egypt-Syria Tension  A meeting in Egypt about a month ago between Dr. Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces party, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak increased the tension between Egypt and Syria, due to Geagea's status as leader of the Lebanese opposition to Syria. In statements to the Egyptian press, Geagea harshly criticized Syria's policy in Lebanon during the early 1990s, blaming Syria for his persecution and arrest and saying it had made a scapegoat and an example of him for anyone who might oppose its policy. He also condemned Hizbullah's armament, saying the organization is working in the service of Iran and Syria. Geagea's statements aroused considerable resentment in Syria. The Syrian daily Al-Watan was quick to point out that Geagea had reiterated his demand for the disarming of Hizbullah immediately following his meeting with President Mubarak, hinting at Egyptian interference in Lebanon's domestic affairs. Several days later, the UAE daily Dar Al-Khaleej reported that the Syrian Foreign Ministry had demanded clarifications from Cairo for having hosted "persons known for their hostility toward Syria," such as Geagea, who "is not afraid of using violence," and whose visit "raises concerns regarding the purpose of his invitation to Cairo and his meeting with Mubarak." Egypt denied having received a demand for clarifications. The renewed tension between Egypt and Syria is also reflected in statements made by Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal to the Lebanese weekly Al-Afkar. When asked to explain his reasons for not participating in the June 23, 2010 summit of Arab information ministers in Cairo, Bilal said: "I did not want to go to Egypt, which is no longer as we once knew it. It was absent from the Arab summit in Damascus, and it recently hosted Dr. Samir Geagea." The London daily Al-Quds Al-'Arabi reported that Bilal had said his country is opposed to Egypt's positions and policies, which are far from those of the Arabs. It should be noted that the Syrian information ministry denied Bilal's reported criticisms of Egypt and stated that Syria sees Egypt as a sister Arab country. Syria also stressed that it had sent a delegation to the information ministers' summit, headed by Bilal's aide. In an article in the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram, columnist Ashraf Al-'Ashri wrote a scathing response to Minister Bilal's statements. Al-'Ashri hinted that it is Syria and not Egypt that had strayed from Arab interests in favor of an Iranian agenda, and called on Bilal to apologize. To view the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4442.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3091–Egypt/Democratization and Reform in the Arab & Muslim World Former IAEA Director Mohammad ElBaradei Criticizes Mubarak's Regime as 'Non-Democratic and Illegitimate' Following are excerpts from an interview with former IAEA director Mohammad ElBaradei, which aired on BBC Arabic TV on June 29, 2010.    Mohammad ElBaradei: "The Egyptian people wants to change and is capable of generating change, but it still needs to break the barrier of fear, and to overcome the state of despair in which it has been for decades. [...] To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2540.htm. To view the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4443.htm.   *From MEMRI TV MEMRI TV Clip No. 2534 – On Al-Aqsa TV Egyptian Expert on "Jewish Religions" Ahmad Al-Gundi: Bloodthirstiness and Racism Are Innate Characteristics of the Jews To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2534.htm.   MEMRI TV Clip No. 2506 – On Al-Manar TV Deputy Head of Egyptian Arab Lawyers Union Abd Al-Azim Al-Maghrabi: The Zionists Produced the Hepatitis C Virus and Injected 400 Prisoners with It   To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2506.htm. MEMRI TV Clip No. 2483 - Egyptian Cleric Sheik Ahmad Al-Johainy: "We Must Get Our Children Accustomed to Hating the Jews" To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2483.htm.