Juggling numbers

AS THE PRESS speculated about an upcoming cabinet reshuffle catalysed by deteriorating economic conditions, President Hosni Mubarak held a series of meetings to address the current economic crisis. Mubarak is scheduled to hold a third meeting this week to discuss the rising prices of basic commodities.

On Sunday, however, Mubarak indicated that he was satisfied with the government's performance, blaming population growth instead for the economy's poor state. "The government is doing its best," Mubarak said, "but the real problem is the population explosion."

Speaking at the inauguration of the Smart Village, he cautioned that if population growth continues at its current rate, in 10 years Egypt's population would reach 85 million. "We don't have enough resources for this," Mubarak said, adding that the government already subsidises education, health services and many other sectors. "We would have to increase taxes and this could cause investors to flee, which would increase our load."

On Saturday, Mubarak chaired a cabinet meeting that discussed the necessity of making basic products and food staples readily available for all citizens at reasonable prices. Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, Interior Minister Habib El-Adli, Supply and Domestic Trade Minister Hassan Khedr, Information Minister Safwat El-Sherif and the governors of Cairo and Giza attended the meeting. Mubarak attended a more extensive cabinet meeting on 17 September, when several ministers briefed him on the economic situation.

Military cooperation

DEFENCE Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was in Paris last week visiting his French counterpart Michele Alliot-Marie. Accompanied by a high-level military delegation, Tantawi discussed issues of military and defence cooperation with Alliot- Marie, as well as what officials termed "technical issues".

Egypt and France have a strong cooperative military relationship, particularly when it comes to joint exercises. Egypt, France and Germany conduct a bi-annual naval exercise code named Cleopatra, which is considered one of the major naval exercises conducted in the Mediterranean.

France has also been participating in the massive Bright Star exercises, which take place every other year on the Northern Coast of Egypt's western desert. Bright Star was cancelled this year at the request of a major participant, the US, whose troops have been busy occupying Iraq.

Restoration continues

YESTERDAY Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni and Cairo Governor Abdel-Rehim Shehata, along with other top officials, inaugurated both the madrassa and mosque of Sarghatmish and Qanibay Al- Mohammadi in Al-Sayeda Zeinab, reports Nevine El-Aref.

The four-year restoration project was meant to save the magnificent historic Cairo monuments from serious disrepair caused by air pollution, high subsoil water levels and humidity, as well as leakage from the fountain used for ablutions, and an outdated and decaying sewage system installed a 100 years ago.

The 1992 earthquake also took its toll on the Sarghatmish's walls. Another of the most serious causes of damage was the encroachment of traders onto the mosque and madrassa's premises over the centuries.

The restoration project -- carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities -- aimed to strengthen the buildings' foundations and protect them from future damage. Parts of the damaged marble floor of the ablution fountain were dismantled and restored, before being put back into their original position. Missing Qur'anic verses embellishing the mosque's walls have also been restored, and the authentic marble floor cleaned.

Bomb threats

CAIRO airport has been receiving several phoned-in bomb threats, which have caused flights to be delayed. A flight aborted its takeoff for Denmark on Monday after airport authorities received an anonymous phone call claiming a bomb was aboard the Egyptian national carrier's Flight 783 bound for Copenhagen.

Upon orders from the control tower, the pilot steered the Airbus A-320 back to the parking area so that the 116 passengers could disembark. Security officers, aided by bomb-sniffing dogs, then searched the aircraft, but found nothing.

After a two and a half hour delay, the plane finally took off.