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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Egypt’s ambassador to the United States, Samed Shoukrey, about relations with the US and about Egypt’s current political situation.

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MARCO WERMAN:  We turn now to one of the key countries in the Middle East, Egypt.  It’s one of the most important nations in the Israeli Arab peace process and a major player in the regional media landscape.  The United States has long seen Egypt as one of its most important partners in the region and we’re joined in the studio by Egypt’s ambassador to the United States, Samer Shoukrey.  Ambassador Shoukrey, thank you for joining us.

SAMER SHOUKREY:  I’m very happy to be here.

WERMAN: So how do you view Egypt’s influence in the Middle East at the moment?

SHOUKREY: Egypt has a traditional role of being influential and effective in terms of its immediate vicinity, the area of the Middle East and particularly the Arab world.  We have very strong relations with our Arab brethren as well deep relations also with Israel and with the main international players.  So we are heavily, as you mentioned, involved in the peace process since we undertook a greater step towards peace and finalized our peace agreement with Israel.  We continue to seek justice for the Palestinian people and the creation of their homeland.

WERMAN: Presidential elections coming up in Egypt next year.  Tell us; first of all, what is the current status of President Hosni Mubarak running for President?

SHOUKREY: The President hasn’t indicated whether he will seek an additional term.  He continues to undertake his responsibilities as he has always done, with great effectiveness and vigor.  But so far he has not indicated one way or another whether he would be seeking a further term.

WERMAN: And some have wondered if President Mubarak does not run again whether his son will run in his stead.  Is it possible that both could run?

SHOUKREY: I would find it unlikely that both would run because in the case of his son’s running, he would be running as a candidate, presumably, of the National Democratic Party of which his father is the head.

WERMAN: Another potential candidate is Mohammed al-Baraday, the former head of the international atomic agency.  He just returned to Egypt last week and said he may run for President if there were reforms to guarantee a fair election and if he could run as an independent candidate.  Why those prerequisites?  Are elections in Egypt not fair?

SHOUKREY: I believe they are far and Dr. Baraday has asked for an amendment to the Constitution to allow for him to run under circumstances that he deems more appropriate.  The Constitution was amended a few years ago to guarantee, in terms of independent candidates, that they did have the political viability and popular support, so there were requirements to be met.  Dr. Baraday is seeking to change those requirements and he has indicated so, and he has made his declarations.  He has visited Egypt, been accorded possibilities of very extensive interviews in the local press and on satellite television and I think it will be up to now, the degree of support that he will muster for his ideas to see how that will affect the political process.  He might generate support within the legislature for a further amendment of the Constitution.

WERMAN: You say he visited Egypt almost as if you think that his position as a candidate might be inconsequential.

SHOUKREY: I understand he will not be spending very much time in Egypt on this occasion.  I don’t know what his future plans are, but certainly Dr. Baraday is a recognized Egyptian whose accomplishments are well known.  He is a Nobel Peace Laureate and is held in high respect.  But then, again, he has not been involved in Egyptian political life extensively and I think we have to evaluate to what degree he would be able to rally popular support for some of his ideas.

WERMAN: Ambassador Shoukrey, you work in Washington, D.C.  How would you describe U.S./Egyptian relations right now?

SHOUKREY: I think there is a mutual recognition of the values of the cooperation between Egypt and the United States.  We have had a long-standing relationship that exceeds now 30 years, in which both countries have extracted great benefit and I think this relationship has benefited also the region and internationally in terms of peace keeping and peace building.

WERMAN: Do you know, off the top of your head, what the total of the U.S. aid package is to Egypt for 2010, both in terms of military and non-military aid?

SHOUKREY: It’s 1.3 billion in military aid and 250 million in economic aid.

WERMAN: I was going to say, given how militarized the Middle East is, are you hopeful that someday those numbers will even out a little bit?

SHOUKREY: I think its important that Egypt maintains its military association to the United States.  It continues to modernize its armed forces and to shift from reliance on Soviet-era armaments to American armaments so that there will be greater synergies between our armed forces.  A strong Egypt militarily, I think is an important component in the stability of the Middle East region.

WERMAN: Samer Shoukrey, Egypt’s ambassador to the United States, thank you very much for coming in.

SHOUKREY: Thank you.

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