9:09PM
Nazif's slip of the tongue
By 
Issandr El Amrani | Egypt
Issandr El Amrani | Egypt
Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, who is due to go to Washington on an official visit (where he will be received by Vice President Dick Cheney and probably mostly talk about economics, since he is not really involved in security or foreign affairs), made a comment yesterday that has left the local press indignant. According to Masri Al Youm, Nazif said:
He added that these elections will really be "more like a referendum."
These statements were virulently criticized by the newspaper's lead columnist, Magdi Mehanna, who asked that if the elections will actually be a referendum, what good does the current reform serve? Mehanna certainly has a point, and I'm not sure whether Nazif's statement is simple honesty or dismissive arrogance. Well, come to think of it, I think I know.
Egyptians need to become more politically mature. President Mubarak knows full well that there is not enough time for the opposition to field a serious candidate at the forthcoming presidential elections.
He added that these elections will really be "more like a referendum."
But that does not mean that the rules of real presidential elections have not been set. We've taken an important step on the path to reform, which remains long.
These statements were virulently criticized by the newspaper's lead columnist, Magdi Mehanna, who asked that if the elections will actually be a referendum, what good does the current reform serve? Mehanna certainly has a point, and I'm not sure whether Nazif's statement is simple honesty or dismissive arrogance. Well, come to think of it, I think I know.
Reader Comments (10)
If he's meeting Cheney, he'll definitely be talking trade -- the US uses Cheney and/or the USTR as the point man on these economic deals so that Bush doesn't have to be seen making compromises and can maintain his image as the champion of the electoral democratic approach to reform. Nazif was on http://www.liberalsagainstterrorism.com/drupal/?q=node/1127" rel="nofollow">Meet the Press this morning, and Russert grilled him about the democracy stuff and the protests and torture and whatnot. The transcript should be up http://www.sundaymorningtalk.com/smt/sunday_morning_transcripts/index.html" rel="nofollow">here later this week.
Thanks, interesting stuff. Look forward to seeing the transcript bt would expect Nazif did OK. He's quite smooth, although I'm surprised he said something like there's no torture in Egypt because any commentator/journalist worth his salt would have known that there are many recent reports on torture in Egypt, starting with the whole renditions scandal. Oh, wait a minute...
Well, actually, he contradicted himself, because first Tim brought up the HRW allegations, and then Nazif mentioned that the Egyptian cabinet was looking at the Commission report and taking it seriously, but said that Egypt was making progress in human rights ... and then Tim asked him about the renditions and torture, and Nazif said that there were about 70 or so Egyptians who had been extradited there and were not being tortured. I'd have to see the transcript to see whether he directly contradicted himself or not.
So Issandr...which one was it..simple honesty or dismissive arrogance??
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7862265/" rel="nofollow">here's the tranny.
Nazif is very dismissive of any oppsition to Mubarak. On MTP, he said that there wouldn't be any serious competition till 2011.
Both touchy issues such as democracy and human rights were described as "evolutionary." After all, this is the same guy who said that political reform is not a priority for Egyptians.
MM&I: the latter. Nazif has been quite frank about this for a while, which certainly comes across as arrogant. He can say it because he knows it's true and knows there are no consequences if he says so. His message: put up and shut up and wait until the next elections. That is essentially the regime message, to wait until 2011, during which time the Gamalists can continue to build their case and secure their hold over key institutions.
Too much disgusting yada yada yada this week..first the prez with el Seyasa..then his PM with MTPress...Do not know which one takes the cake for offensiveness, arrogance, an irreversible case of distorted reality. Am not sure that the PM succeeded in impressing the American audience he was on a campaign to impress he surely impressed his regime…His statements re international monitors—interesting so now the regime is accepting them but they can not be accommodated as other forces in society are against them—and on the judiciary…Egypt one of the few countries that enjoys judicial oversight..hummm damn the court ruling that extending the oversight to the auxiliary polls allowing the regime to brag re judicial supervision while most of the rigging happens outside the polling cubicles or so …and ya..neither the Egyptians nor their parties are mature enough (well the parties are a farce) but it is sorta washing their hands from the whole situation. Do not know what to say-BUOVBs..readers should be warned before delving into these readings… Is this thing going to be translated and published in the Egyptian press?????????
I don't get it. Nazif wasn't lieing. We all know that, the opposition, including the ever effervescent Magdi Mehanna, knows that, and of course the government knows it.
I mean, in all honesty, what has the opposition done to a) close ranks b) mature into true opposition parties since the President's surprise announcement two months ago? Nothing, they've done nothing at all. It's not like they're exactly helping their cause.
And, what would the opposition prefer: no amendment and we'll make it next time round (2011), or the amendment today and maybe a shot at the next election? If Mubarak is going to step down, what difference will the amendment make?
The "simple honesty theme" seems to be the item of the week, with the PM and the President(in the Kuwaiti al-Siyassa) telling us in pretty honest terms, what kind of scenario we can expect, for this year as well as 2011. But then this has been a theme from the rather early start of the "election campaign" if anyone remember Kamal al Shadli´s slip of tongue ? And also all this follows the NDP view of democratization in doses that has been there from the begining in 1981, actually from the start of the multipartysystem in 1975-76. Did someone see the poetic comment by Safwat Sharif about the amendment of art 76 and the blossoming springflower ?