Egypt seeks military aid package from U.S. similar to Israel's
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, March 27, 2001
WASHINGTON — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is expected to ask the
Bush administration to convert U.S. economic aid into increased funding for
the military in Cairo.
Egypt has agreed to reduce economic aid in exchange for additional
investments and technology transfer. But administration sources said Mubarak
wants a formula that is similar to that agreed to between Israel and the
United States.
That formula decreases U.S. economic aid to Israel by $120 million a
year. Half of that amount, however, is converted into military aid to the
Jewish state.
U.S. military aid to Egypt amounted to $1.3 billion for this year. Of
that figure, $735 million was economic aid. Israel received this year $1.92
billion in military aid and $960 million in economic aid.
The sources said the White House has not formulated a response to the
expected request by Mubarak. But they said the administration would not rule
it out.
"This administration will probably not see things differently from its
predecessors," a source following the issue said. "And that is that the
military is important in Egypt and you want to keep them happy."
One obstacle to the Mubarak request will be Congress. Many in Congress
who deal with the Middle East issues have suggested that military aid to
Egypt be reduced and converted into economic aid.
Israel is said to have urged the White House and Congress to reduce U.S.
military aid to Egypt. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon raised the issue
with congressional leaders during their meeting in Washington last week.
Israeli Army Radio said Sharon called on the United States to end
military aid to Egypt. The radio said the Egyptian regime has not supported
the peace process with the Palestinians.
Sharon and the Bush administration have denied the report. "The prime
minister did not raise the Egypt issue in his meetings with the American
administration," Sharon's office said in a statement.
Mubarak was said to have been furious over the reported appeal by
Sharon. The Egyptian president said he would consider changing Cairo's
relations with Israel although he added that he is convinced that Sharon did
not try to stop military aid to Egypt.
"If Sharon really said that, I will consider it to be an aggressive
stance," Mubarak said. "We will have another attitude toward Sharon."
On Monday, Mubarak told the state-owned Al Gomhuriya daily that he
regards the chapter as closed and accepts Sharon's denial.
Tuesday, March 27, 2001
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