21 February 2016 Watani International 2 Watani 21 February 2016 Chairman of the Board 13 Amsheer (Meshir) 1732 and 12 Gamada al-Awwal 1437 Editor-in-chief Issue 784 Youssef Sidhom Year 16 Editorial Funeral photos by Nasser Sobhy Problems on hold President Sisi addresses parliament Youssef Sidhom On Saturday 13 February President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi addressed Egypt’s new House of Representatives, declaring it officially opened. “I announce the transition of legislative authority to the elected parliament,” the President began his speech, declaring the end of a four-year legislative hiatus in which law-making powers were in the hands of the president of the republic. This is the first parliament since the 30 June 2013 massive Egyptian Revolution which rid Egypt of the post-Arab Spring Islamist regime and set the ground for a secular State. President Sisi’s opening speech was a protocol; the newly elected parliament had already convened last month, elected a speaker and two deputies, and reviewed the laws which had been issued by the two post-Revolution presidents, Adly Mansour and Sisi, in the absence of parliament. The House of Representatives approved all these laws but one, the law of civil service; it still remains to be seen how the House will handle this legislative predicament. The sessions have been boisterous and tumultuous, and involved on the part of a number of MPs behaviour and rhetoric that went against venerable parliamentary tradition. A request to lift the immunity of three MPs on claims that they were legally disqualified was rejected by the House. MP Judge Sirri Siyam, who was among the presidential appointees to the House, submitted his resignation in protest against his alleged marginalisation. The resignation of a presidential appointee is unprecedented, and Judge Siyam’s aroused heated discussions in the media. President Sisi’s speech to parliament was different than those Egyptians were familiar with during the time of former President Hosni Mubarak who used to put before Boutros Boutros-Ghali parliament a proposed list, which came to be termed ‘agenda’, of legislation required. (1922 - 2016) President Sisi’s speech was in essence political; it focused on the greatness of Egypt Rock of Egyptian diplomacy and her people who overcame the Islamist challenge to their Egyptianness and the His name, Boutros, is literal for rock. He was a great, if not unique, figure in Egypt’s 20th century. Mervat Ayoub “Whatever the reasons for his absence, we never doubted their merit. Faculty remuneration Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan who believed that Egypt was not entitled to negotiate on the Organisation of African Unity would have a say in the UN’s decision-making. The Boutros-Ghali and the Clinton administration and was an additional reason for attempts to break them as they demanded Boutros Boutros-Ghali started off as a law professor at Cairo University, and went on to become in those days were modest and Dr Ghali whose attendance record was nonetheless better behalf of the Arabs; he was more comfortable dealing with Minister of Defence Ezer UN peacekeeping forces got entangled in war conflicts in Bosnia, Cambodia, Somalia vetoing his election for a second term. freedom, social justice and human dignity. Egypt’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1977 – 1991. From 1992 to 1996 he was Secretary- than most, had other professional interests. Yet, whenever we saw his Fiat coupé parked Weizman who was apparently more inclined to achieving peace. Israelis noticed that and Rwanda and Dr Boutros-Ghali was often blamed or used as a scapegoat whenever He called upon parliament to perform the General of the United Nations. He was head of the International Organisation of La Francophonie in 1997 adjacent to the college building, we knew we could look forward to an absorbing two-hour lecture.” during the negotiations President Sadat would address Boutros-Ghali using the English things went wrong. The River Nile historic legislative and supervisory role – 2002, and of the National Council for Human Rights in 2003 – 2012. He won numerous Egyptian and equivalent of his name “Peter” whenever he was pleased with him. But the new role of the UN in peacekeeping and conflict prevention, in addition to After leaving the UN, Dr Boutros Ghali was elected the first Secretary-General of required of it by the people. international medals and honours, and was also head of Al-Ahram Centre for Strategic and Political Studies The Jerusalem visit Dr Boutros-Ghali staunchly opposed Israeli demands to becoming the sole buyer of Boutros-Ghali’s independent leadership, collided with US interests and diminished the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie which consists of French-speaking That the President did not assign any in 1975, and editor-in-chief of the quarterly al-Siyassa al-Dawliya (International Politics) and Al-Ahram’s As a Christian, it was not possible for Dr Boutros-Ghali to be appointed Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Sinai’s oil. Among the most controversial articles of the peace treaty is Article 6 which its role in international politics. He quickly went out of favour with the then US member States who work on promoting French language and cooperating in the fields legislative agenda to parliament carries economics magazine, the weekly Al-Ahram al-Iqtissadi. He authored numerous books; the most important Affairs; President Anwar al-Sadat therefore appointed him [the less prestigious] Minister of State for stipulates that: “The Parties undertake not to enter into any obligation in conflict with Ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright (later US Secretary of State) and the of culture, science, economy, justice and peace. He held this post from 1997 to 2002. substantial indications that conform to of which is Egypt’s Road to Jerusalem (1997) about the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty and Unvanquished: A Foreign Affairs in 1977; a position he held until 1991. this Treaty.” And “… in the event of a conflict between the obligations of the Parties Clinton administration who campaigned against him and in 1996 vetoed his re-election Even though Dr Boutros-Ghali was no longer on the official front during his last Egypt’s Constitution. The president has no U.S.-U.N. Saga (1999), about his time as Secretary-General at the U.N. Following the 6 October War in 1973 during which the Egyptian army crossed the Suez Canal and under the present Treaty and any of their other obligations, the obligations under this for a second term. years, people went to him for advice on many perplexing issues. His experience and upper hand over parliament; rather, he has Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali passed away on Tuesday 16 February. attained a foothold in the six-year-Israeli-occupied Sinai, there had been great hopes that Egypt would, Treaty will be binding and implemented”, especially given that this article hinders insight were legendary. In a 2014 interview with ++Watani++, he talked about Egyptian to let the House of Representatives and the Egypt paid her last respects to the great man on Thursday 18 February. He was given a military funeral through negotiation, regain Sinai in full and attain peace for Egypt and all Arabs. This, however, never Egypt’s participation in the Treaty of Joint Defence and Economic Co-operation of the Arab conflict fears that the Grand Renaissance Dam Ethiopia is building would curtail Egypt’s Nile government perform their roles freely and in which President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi led the procession of mourners, followed with a funeral service at materialised and, in November 1977, President Sadat announced his desire to visit Jerusalem and address League of Arab States. His years as Secretary General of the UN witnessed many conflicts in the Arab water rights, the Nile being practically the sole source of water in Egypt. “As a general independently without placing any agenda the church of St Peter and St Paul in Abbasiya, Cairo. the Knesset. Despite his original reservations towards Sadat’s intended trip, Dr Boutros-Ghali was asked Some have considered the trip to Jerusalem as the major milestone in Dr Boutros- region. After the end of the 1991 Gulf war and the implementation of sanctions on Iraq rule,” he said, “I believe in settling international disagreements and disputes through before them. by then Vice-President Hosni Mubarak to write the draft of the President’s Knesset address. Ghali’s career; little did they know that the real accomplishment would come years by the UN Security Council (UNSC), the Oil-for-Food programme was established by negotiation. Even though this may take years on end, it is always worth the time and There remains an important observation Family history By a strange twist of fate, Dr Boutros-Ghali accompanied President Sadat on his historical trip to later. On 7 June 1991, he was nominated by Egypt for the position of Secretary-General the UN in 1995 to relieve the suffering of the Iraqi people. However, the programme effort. I had tried for more than 20 years to get the Egyptian public to focus on the that never ceases to dishearten me and Boutros Boutros-Ghali was born into a distinguished Coptic family which was among the elite landed Jerusalem on 20 November 1977 as Acting Foreign Minister after Ismail Fahmi resigned in protest against of the UN, the finest diplomatic post anyone could attain. was plagued with corruption and the Iraqi regime was accused of seizing some USD11 importance of African relations and the Nile waters but failed because the public was which I will never tire of highlighting. This gentry of Girga in the southern region of Sohag some 500km south of Cairo.