Newsreel

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Kerry comes to town

AS PART of a Middle East tour, US Democratic congressman and last year's presidential candidate John Kerry arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials on promoting Egyptian-American relations, reports Magda El- Ghitani.

In Cairo, Kerry was received by President Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit.

Following his talks with Abul-Gheit, Kerry expressed hope that progress will be achieved in mediating Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. "I am hopeful because the win of Abu Mazen (newly-elected president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas) is a new opportunity for peace," Kerry told reporters.

Kerry said he would convey to Washington an Egyptian and Arab message on "how to do better than what we are doing right now" on a number of issues including Palestine and Iraq.

Not a minute more

IN CAIRO this week Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini promised that Italian troops "will not stay a single minute" longer in Iraq beyond the wish of the Iraqi authorities "once elections take place."

Speaking at a joint press conference on Tuesday with Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit, Fini expressed hope that the "Sunni group", as he described it, will reach common ground with other Iraqi political groups and will take part in national elections scheduled for 30 January.

For his part, Abul-Gheit renewed Cairo's firm stance against sending any troops to Iraq.

Armenian caller

ARMENIAN Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is expected in Cairo later this month for talks with top Egyptian officials, including Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and Minister of International Cooperation Faiza Abul-Naga. Oskanian is also scheduled to meet Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa to discuss ways of boosting Armenian relations with the Arab world.

During his visit, Oskanian is to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Arab League to initiate systematic political dialogue.

Owners jailed

THE OWNERS of the Abbas El-Aqqad building which collapsed in January 2004, leaving 17 dead and 36 injured, including 14 policemen, have been sentenced to seven years in jail with hard labour.

Abburi Shehata and Deyab Khalaf El-Sayed were each given terms of seven years while El- Sayed Ali Hassan, an engineer, received a three- year sentence on charges of negligence. Hassan was deprived of the right of practicing his profession for one year.

According to a Nasr City court, those found guilty are to pay LE2001 in compensation to 12 of the victims' relatives.

The court said that in 1979 the building had a licence which allowed it to build a basement and four storeys. However, Shehata and El-Sayed added seven more floors. Several removal orders were issued but none were carried out.

A report prepared by an engineering committee and submitted to the court noted that the seven extra storeys were the main reason for the building's collapse.

Now Ethiopian

THE FIRST shipment of Ethiopian meat arrived in Egypt on Tuesday. The six-boat shipment is expected to be delivered soon to consumer cooperatives where it will be sold to the public for LE11.60 per kilo.

According to official statements, the meat is expected to cover demand on the Egyptian market leading to relative stability in meat prices. "This comes as part of the state's plan to decrease meat prices by increasing supply," Minister of Supply Hassan Khidr said.

Khidr noted that a committee, including veterinarians and representatives of the ministries of supply and agriculture, will check the meat to ensure it meets the required criteria.

Khidr was quoted as saying an agreement had been reached to import 100,000 slain cows and sheep from Ethiopia as well. The sheep will arrive before the Greater Bairam while the shipment of cows will continue until May.

In October last year, prior to Ramadan, the public was told the price of meat would drop following the import of Sudanese meat. However, the batch, which was relatively small, failed to meet the needs of the market, especially after it was rumoured that people in charge of consumer cooperatives were hoarding the meat Mafia-style.

Elections on time

CAIRO Southern Court, which is authorised by law to supervise elections at professional syndicates, has ruled that elections for the Bar Association should be held on its scheduled date of 12 March.

Nominations for syndicate chairman and council members will start on 17 January. According to the court's decision, elections of the syndicate's branches are scheduled for April and May.

The decision squashed rumours about a possible government plan to delay Bar elections until the government finished drafting a new law which has been described by lawyers as being worse than the current Law 100 for 1993 governing elections at professional syndicates. Law 100 has been repeatedly criticised on the grounds that it places professional syndicates under government control.

The elections, pitting Nasserist chairman Sameh Ashour against the Muslim Brotherhood whose members dominate the syndicate council, are expected to be closely fought. The two camps have kept up a running battle for nearly four years, leading to a marked deterioration in syndicate affairs.

Ashour has reportedly placed on his electoral list the names of Islamist lawyers not on good terms with the Muslim Brotherhood. Mokhtar Nouh, who had a falling out with the Brotherhood over ideological differences, and who enjoyed wide popularity among lawyers, is expected to be included in Ashour's list. Montasser El-Zayyat, a lawyer for Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya who was excluded from the Brotherhood list in the 2001 elections, will also appear on Ashour's list.

The Brotherhood has announced it will support government candidate Raga'i Atteya for the position of chairman against Ashour.

Compiled by Mona El-Nahhas