Menace of Coup in Egypt
Presidential elections in Egypt can be considered the most important development in the country following the ouster of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.
While political factions are awaiting the second round of votes, the armed forces seek to hijack the revolution through a military coup.
Egypt is the biggest Muslim country where the tides of Islamic Awakening have been sweeping and now the second round of presidential elections is underway to determine the political future of the country.
Middle East affairs expert Seyyed Morteza Miri in an interview with IQNA has outlined the situation in Egypt. Excerpts follow:
IQNA: Will the presidential elections in Egypt bring about change in the political system?
Miri: I believe so, because should Muhammad Mursi win the polls, which is very likely if there is no coup in favor of Shafiq, changes in the country’s political system are inevitable. Even if the military acts in favor of Shafiq and enters a perilous coup game, as Omar Suleiman had indicated before, the situation will not be like before the revolution, because the public opinion will not accept a return to the Mubarak era.
IQNA: What were the foreign policy priorities in Mubarak’s time and what are they going to be for the coming government?
Miri: For Mubarak, they included convergence with the West because he was dependent on Western powers particularly the US. I believe Egypt’s new government will not be dependent on the West. Of course this is not to mean that there will be enmity towards the West. I think the new government in Egypt will look for balanced relations with all governments including those in the West.
IQNA: How do you see the effects of Islamic Awakening on foreign policy of Arab countries like Egypt?
Miri: The recent developments in the Middle East has caused the governments involved to be less dependent on foreign forces and more reliant on their own people. This has brought about changes in the diplomatic course of these countries so that national interests form the basis of their diplomacy. Of course, one cannot view developments in all these countries within the same framework. For instance, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt each will form their foreign policy based on different principles.
IQNA: There are many in the world who try to portray Egypt as the Arab example of Turkey. Do you agree with this view?
Miri: The victory of Muhammad Mursi and his Freedom and Justice party signifies that Turkey has been viewed as a successful model for the people of Egypt because this party has more similarities than others with Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development party. The moderation, efficiency and pragmatics of Erdogan and his party can be a good example for Mursi and his government. Given the close ties between the two parties and Turkey’s support for Khairat Shater and then Muhammad Mursi, it seems that Egypt is set to have extensive relations with Turkey from now on.
IQNA: How do you see the future relationship of Egypt and the West?
Miri: The victory of Muslim Brotherhood will cause the relations to undergo fundamental changes but gradually. Of course, I do not think Cairo will seek tension in its relations with the West and Israel. However, the policy of the Egyptian government will be maintaining national and Islamic dignity and at the same time avoiding tensions.
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Egypt is the biggest Muslim country where the tides of Islamic Awakening have been sweeping and now the second round of presidential elections is underway to determine the political future of the country.
Middle East affairs expert Seyyed Morteza Miri in an interview with IQNA has outlined the situation in Egypt. Excerpts follow:
IQNA: Will the presidential elections in Egypt bring about change in the political system?
Miri: I believe so, because should Muhammad Mursi win the polls, which is very likely if there is no coup in favor of Shafiq, changes in the country’s political system are inevitable. Even if the military acts in favor of Shafiq and enters a perilous coup game, as Omar Suleiman had indicated before, the situation will not be like before the revolution, because the public opinion will not accept a return to the Mubarak era.
IQNA: What were the foreign policy priorities in Mubarak’s time and what are they going to be for the coming government?
Miri: For Mubarak, they included convergence with the West because he was dependent on Western powers particularly the US. I believe Egypt’s new government will not be dependent on the West. Of course this is not to mean that there will be enmity towards the West. I think the new government in Egypt will look for balanced relations with all governments including those in the West.
IQNA: How do you see the effects of Islamic Awakening on foreign policy of Arab countries like Egypt?
Miri: The recent developments in the Middle East has caused the governments involved to be less dependent on foreign forces and more reliant on their own people. This has brought about changes in the diplomatic course of these countries so that national interests form the basis of their diplomacy. Of course, one cannot view developments in all these countries within the same framework. For instance, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt each will form their foreign policy based on different principles.
IQNA: There are many in the world who try to portray Egypt as the Arab example of Turkey. Do you agree with this view?
Miri: The victory of Muhammad Mursi and his Freedom and Justice party signifies that Turkey has been viewed as a successful model for the people of Egypt because this party has more similarities than others with Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development party. The moderation, efficiency and pragmatics of Erdogan and his party can be a good example for Mursi and his government. Given the close ties between the two parties and Turkey’s support for Khairat Shater and then Muhammad Mursi, it seems that Egypt is set to have extensive relations with Turkey from now on.
IQNA: How do you see the future relationship of Egypt and the West?
Miri: The victory of Muslim Brotherhood will cause the relations to undergo fundamental changes but gradually. Of course, I do not think Cairo will seek tension in its relations with the West and Israel. However, the policy of the Egyptian government will be maintaining national and Islamic dignity and at the same time avoiding tensions.
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