Chairman of Egyptian Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee Mustafa Fiqi: A Nuclear Program Will Raise Egypt's International Status

Following is an excerpt from an interview with Mustafa Fiqi, Chairman, Egyptian Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee, which aired on Mihwar TV on February 26, 2007:

Mustafa Fiqi: In my opinion, Egypt is a great country, which has the ability to enter the nuclear field. Egypt should not be denied this. What we want is a program for peaceful purposes. This is our right. In 20 years time, our oil will not be enough. It will run out. In 34 years, the natural gas will not be enough for us. Nuclear energy is the cheapest source of energy. In France, 80% of the energy comes from nuclear sources. Why should others be allowed what we are denied?

Interviewer: It is for peaceful purposes...

Mustafa Fiqi: In addition, to some extent, national pride and prosperity lie in your feeling that your country is no less than other countries. If we had a strong nuclear program, we would have a permanent seat on the IAEA Board of Governors, which we lost to South Africa. When South Africa renounced its racist policy, it got back the African permanent seat. [A nuclear program] would have helped us to enter the Security Council, as the African representative. In other words, a nuclear program is one of the things that makes the country strong.