Eventually the General Al Sisi, president of Egypt, which for two hours had answered our questions beckons us with the hand of waiting, clears his throat and says in English: “Let me turn to the family of Julius Regeni”. Then it is clear that all that time served above all to this, to send a strong message to Italy, to show that Egypt has understood what the public, the government, the newspapers and above all a family ask for weeks.
and looking at a fixed point in the vacuum starts to speak slowly in Arabic to make sure that the translator did not miss a word: “I address you as a father before that as President, fully understand the pain and suffering you are trying to loss of your son, I feel a sense of bitterness and the upheaval that has broken your heart. I understand and my heart and my prayers are with you. I’ll give you my deepest condolences and solidarity with your great loss. i promise that we will do light and arrive at the truth, we’ll be working with the Italian authorities to give justice and punish criminals who killed your son. “
This interview was held in the presidential palace, in what was once the largest hotel in the Heliopolis Palace of Africa at the beginning of the twentieth century, he was born to talk about the torture and death of Julius Regeni young Italian researcher kidnapped in Cairo January 25, whose body was found on February 3. The fact that it is materialized, after days of negotiations, it was already the sign of a breakthrough in the Egyptian regime and that the risk to stake a fundamental relationship like that with Italy was finally clear.
President Abd al-Fattah Al Sisi moves unceremoniously and is accompanied only by his spokesman, a young diplomat already consul in Barcelona. Listen to the questions in English but prefers to answer in Arabic because it is the language of his country, and he does not want misunderstandings. But listening to every word of the translation and if it does not seem correct, repeating the phrase and clear.
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ITALY
Because his message needs to be clear: “the relationship with Italy is historic and unique because of its nature, you are now the first trade partner in the European Union, and is also strong friendship between our peoples for the presence of important communities in the two countries . we can not allow anyone or anything to divide us. ” A bond not only historical but also vital, so much so that not mince words: “The work with Eni today is the symbol of the depth and strength of exceptional relations with Italy. It is a sign of good luck discovery the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, which represents for us the cornerstone from which we can develop any other activity in Egypt “.
An agreement cemented the relationship with the Italian prime minister, the first European leader to arrive in Cairo after Al Sisi came to power: “I have great esteem and deep respect for Matteo Renzi, whom I consider a true friend of mine and Egypt. We have a great relationship and he is a person of principles that does not forget the commitments and the bonds we have. “
at the end of this description is clear how much the kidnapping, death after atrocious torture and his body thrown to the side of the road, jeopardize the stability and durability of a country that Italy is very dependent. So President Al Sisi accepts a slew of questions, but never directly answer about who might be the perpetrators of the crime.
SURVEYS IN CASE Regeni
The killing of Regeni he has shocked Italians, have the perception here in Egypt than this threatens our relationships?
“first I want to tell the Italians that this death is a shock to Egypt as for ‘Italy. what has happened is terrible and unacceptable, is not ours and upsets not only the government but all the people of Egypt. This is a dramatic event but only one, thousands of Italians have visited, lived and worked in Egypt and none of them has never happened, were safe.
<'p> But in those six weeks the cooperation in the investigation appeared weak and inadequate.
“the survey here Egypt is the first moment under the direct supervision of the attorney general and there are groups of specialized investigators who are working day and night to find out the real causes and reveal the circumstances that caused this tragic death. We will not stop until it reached the truth about the end of Julius Regeni. “
In Cairo has finally received the Rome prosecutor, as you move now, there will be other concrete steps?
“i want to emphasize the importance of intensifying the cooperation between our two countries to unravel the mystery of this death and prosecute the perpetrators. In a few days the Egyptian team following the case will go to Rome to discuss how to improve the coordination of investigations with the Italian authorities. “
How long does it take to get the results?
“I want to emphasize the great Egyptian government’s efforts to fight terrorism and extremism in order to have stability and security in our country. Nine months ago there was the murder of the Egyptian general prosecutor and now, only now, with a continued commitment of the security services, we have discovered the truth and we have identified the culprits will be tried. “
HUNT fOR GUILTY
But you’ll have an idea of what might have happened to the Italian researcher.
“on the death of Regeni there are many questions we must ask ourselves: the first it is on the timing, in particular on the discovery of the body. Because it happened during the visit of a delegation of Italian entrepreneurs with the Minister of Economic Development, who were in Cairo to strengthen our cooperation? Because it happened while relations between us have reached an unprecedented level since the economic and political point of view? Another inevitable question is to understand who has an interest in boycotting or block the broad collaboration between Italy and Egypt in terms of energy and security, at a time of turbulence in the region. we must not forget the importance of this cooperation comes at a time of suffering for our economy, and after years of weakness. “
You then is telling us that the perpetrators of the crime are to be sought Regeni among his enemies?
“Let’s talk about the attack to tourism, the collapse of the completely cleared Russian presence and the Italian ones, we put together all the facts of the last months, we connect the dots and see the image complete that is created: the goal is to hit the Egyptian economy and isolate the country. This is a retaliation for the great war that Egypt has been waging against the forces of extremism and terrorism. I hope that we will remain united against these enemies and not allow anyone to divide Egypt from Italy. “
How will you behave?
” I want to assure the people Italian that our efforts will continue day and night until we have found the truth about everything that happened and until we have arrested the perpetrators and will take them to court and punished according to law. “
But an idea of what happened and who the perpetrators will have it?
Al Sisi, who throughout the interview has remained still and composed in his chair, darkens and narrows his eyes as those who try to look far: “I have spoken to many of the challenges and risks that it faces today Egypt, I spoke of the efforts to ensure security and stability, I promised that we will work with conviction and energetic to bring to justice those responsible. We are facing a terrorist challenge with the goals of the tourist sites and the border with Libya and we do not need to create divisions but to have a relationship of unity and support with a friendly nation like Italy. But let me also mention Adel Heikal Moawad, an Egyptian who disappeared five months ago in Italy but we never heard anything. All research efforts have not been successful. But incidents like these can not spoil the relationship between our countries. The hard times show and test the strength and duration of the relations of friendship between the countries. “
It is at this point that General Al Sisi changes tone of voice, and asks to send a message to the family of Giulio Regeni, want to make sure that “the breakthrough collaborative” Cairo is understood but together to understand Italians that at stake is not only the future of his country, but a game that concerns us all. “there is a fundamental point of to think about: Egypt’s stability is crucial, if you were to end would endanger the Mediterranean and Europe. Egypt live 90 million people, a quarter of the population of the Middle East. 60 million have less than forty imagine if just one in 1,000 of these young people (60 thousand, most of the current Isis fighters in the world, ed) radicalizzasse and was recruited by the terrorists: the result would be a destructive force that would impact devastating not only of this region. “
STOP tO SPONSOR oF TERRORISM
the constant thought of Al Sisi is a risk of collapse of Egypt, continually cites the crumbling of the other pillars of which held the Arab world – Iraq, Syria, Libya – liquefaction of state entities and chaos from which you can not get out: “This is my mission, my duty is that the Egyptian institutions not collapsing, why so would collapse my country and would invest a domino effect throughout the region. I hope to do, I am confident that we will succeed. Renzi has understood perfectly what is at stake and this supports us and I am grateful for the support of Italy. “
But how do you fight terrorism, with the military and services security?
“in recent months the number of attacks have been declining steadily not only for the operations of the security services but also thanks to massive political efforts, economic, social and intellectual, because in these fields fighting the ideology that fuels terrorism. “
the general became president, who no longer wears the uniform, but only a gray suit with shiny black shoes and white shirt, seems to have very clear who was behind the strategy of terror: “we must be very clear and honest with ourselves: it is an international phenomenon that is spreading around the world, not the threat to individual countries. Terrorism in Egypt is related to the crisis in the region, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Mali, Somalia and Nigeria. This is why we need a global strategy and not the efforts of individual countries must be the number one priority of the international community. It is very important that the international community send a strong message to the countries and parties that support terrorists supplying them with weapons, money and fighters. “
Who are the sponsors of terrorism?
the Egyptian president smiles and shakes his head before answering dry: “we all know who these countries and these parties and it takes a strong and clear message calling for a stop to their support of terrorists. Later we will do and we will have more suffering. All. “
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