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On track with Iran

LONG marginalised Egyptian-Iranian political talks have been injected with new momentum. Yesterday at the Foreign Ministry, a high-level Egyptian-Iranian political dialogue was conducted between Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Derar and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Al-Irakchi.

For close to five hours the senior diplomats addressed a wide range of issues of common concern. Bilateral relations were put on the backburner; it was regional developments that received most of their attention.

The ongoing tension between Iran and the West, especially the US, over Iran's nuclear programme, the Lebanese political crisis and the situation in Iraq now and in the future were key issues on the agenda, as were developments in Palestine.

According to Egyptian diplomatic sources, as far as Cairo is concerned, cooperation with Tehran on regional issues is what counts. The sources added that the resumption of full diplomatic bilateral ties, severed in the late 1970s, requires more extensive effort.

Speculation on the resumption of the relationship has been ongoing for close to 10 years. Following a meeting between President Hosni Mubarak and former Iranian President Mohamed Khatami in Davos during the World Economic Forum in 2004, hopes were high that full diplomatic relations would be resumed. However, informed sources say, concerns raised by Egypt over Iran's continued support of Islamist militant groups in the region, including Egypt, aborted any attempt to open embassies in Cairo and Tehran.

Today, such concerns are still present "more or less", according to one source. However, Cairo is becoming increasingly convinced that its security concerns, which could prevent the elevation of diplomatic relations with Tehran, should not prohibit necessary cooperation on pressing regional concerns. In May, Egypt hosted the Iranian foreign minister in an international conference on Iraq. Later this month, in New York, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Iran are tentatively scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Meanwhile, sources say they do not exclude a second round of consultations between Derar and Al-Irakchi, perhaps in Tehran a few months from now.

No MB Iftar

FOR THE first time in 20 years, the authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood from hosting their annual Iftar, scheduled for Saturday. In the past, the Iftar, usually held with government approval in a five-star hotel, represented the largest political gathering in Egypt and was viewed as an occasion for the MB to demonstrate its popularity. Political leaders, activists, intellectuals, journalists and public figures attended the event where speeches and political views were exchanged, and made the front page in the Egyptian and other Arab press.

The Brotherhood's leader Mohamed Mahdi Akef said in a statement that the group had wanted to host the Iftar this year but that "a decision by the Interior Ministry has prevented that." The statement was also published in the form of an advertisement on the front page of the independent daily Al-Dostour on Monday under the headline, "Greetings and an apology" signed by Akef.

The ban coincides with a security clampdown on the MB and the military trial of 40 of its leaders on money laundering charges.

Speaking to the MB's website, prominent ex-judge Tarek El-Bishri was quoted as saying, "the ban affects the climate of freedom, especially the relationship between the authorities and moderate Islamists... And coincides with the crackdown on the press" in reference to prison sentences handed down to four editors last week for criticising the president and officials of the ruling National Democratic Party.

Detained for demo

A 25-YEAR-old woman is being detained by police after orchestrating a sit-in in Menoufiya governorate where residents are protesting against demolishing a primary school which should have been razed 10 years ago. Reem Leila reports. The inhabitants of a Menoufiya village, Ezbet Mohsen, say they will not end the strike until Hedeya Awad is released, adding that before Awad was arrested they had agreed to end the demonstration. However, local authorities then started tearing the school down, endangering the lives of students.

Abdel-Mohsen El-Ashmouni, head of Al-Shohadaa villag e, said he will submit a detailed petition to Menoufiya Governor Hassan Hemeida suggesting that a new school be built on the site of the current school until authorities take down the old building. Residents supporting the suggestion are to grant El-Ashmouni a four-day grace period before starting a hunger strike if he does not meet their demands.

Bribery ring

ABDEL-HAMID Qotb, head of the engineering department at the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), has been arrested on bribery charges, the third official to be caught in the widening fiasco. The Administrative Control Authority remanded Qotb for 15 days after an investigation showed he had taken LE600,000 in bribes from contractors. Qotb had been working with Ayman Abdel-Moneim, director-general of the Cultural Development Fund and the general supervisor of the Historic Cairo development project, and Hussein Ahmed Hussein, head of the Nubian Antiquities Salvage Fund, in the Pyramid development project and the development of Cairo Museum's basement. Abdel-Moneim and Hussein have been arrested on bribery charges as well.

Zahi Hawass, SCA secretary-general, said he was not taking sides. "Investigations are currently being made which will prove whether Qotb is innocent or guilty," Hawass said. "People in the wrong must be punished."