Presidential hopeful Hamdeen Sabbahi launched his presidential campaign from the Upper Egyptian province of Assiut on Saturday.
Sabbahi, who came third in the 2012 elections, said his platform aims to “achieve victory for citizens’ dignity and accomplishing social justice,” as well as “turning the page of bloodshed and hatred through transitional justice based on fair, effective trials.”
The liberal, Nasserist-oriented runner explained that “transitional justice is not vengeful, but rather addresses damages and compensates the damaged both morally and financially, also opening the window for voluntary tolerance and amnesty.”
Sabbahi said, if elected, he would seek equality-based relationships with all world countries, including the United States and Russia.
“ُEgypt is not married to the US, God forbid,” Hamdeen said in his conference, referring to recent remarks by foreign minister Nabil Fahmy last week to NPR radio, in which he described Egypt-US ties as a “marriage” rather than “a fling”. “Those who had been talking about national independence ended up talking about Egypt’s marriage to the America,” he said.
Sabbahi urged equal-standing in Egypt’s relations with the United States. “America had given us dependence rather than aid….I have no plans to engage in a war with America. It has to see us as an active country that has its own interests. If America sacrifices our interests, then we are able to take stances in defense of our dignity and values.”
Sabbahi also urged independence for Egypt’s military away from US aid.
“We want respectful relations free of animosity and dependence on the Americans. “We will ensure that our army is not bound by the US aid. Suggestions of cutting the aid are a threat to America, not to Egypt,” he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
