CAIRO: The popular campaign to prevent Egyptian gas exports has given the government an ultimatum: They have until June 5 to put a stop to the exportation of gas to Israel. Failure to comply will result in protests on the day in front of the Ministry of Petroleum, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas (EMG) Company and the pumping stations in Damietta and Al-Arish. The campaign is also filing lawsuits to annul the gas contracts which are handed out to private companies. However, a statement by the campaign's spokesman, MP Esmat El-Sadat indicated that members of the campaign had been placated somewhat by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif s comments that gas prices on existing deals will be renegotiated. El-Sadat said that the continuation of gas exports to Israel was a "crime and a mock public trial would be held on Saturday in the Lawyers Syndicate. El-Sadat added that the extra $18 billion in revenue expected from the increased gas prices over the course of the contract wasn't enough for the government to easily let go of this precious resource. He said that the Camp David Accords only stipulated the offering of crude oil to Israel at world prices and did not obligate Egypt to sell any other energy fuel. MENA had reported that Egypt told Israel it intended to raise the price of the natural gas that began flowing in May. ' We have succeeded in amending the price of Egyptian [natural] gas with some countries like Spain and France, and we are negotiating currently with Israel, the official news agency quoted Nazif as saying. The prices of the natural gas are substantially lower because the deal to supply 1.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas was reached in 2005, and since then there has been a sharp jump in world energy prices. Another statement issued by the campaign read, "After all this talk of national security and regional balance and the rights of the Palestinian people and the local need for energy, this [gas exportation to Israel] is a real catastrophe. The campaign brought together figures from across the opposition spectrum in a committee that formulated a plan of action against the contentious deal. The committee driving the campaign is made up of writers, judges, intellectuals, MPs and energy experts. The campaign has adopted a multi-pronged approach in the executive, judicial and economic branches to achieve its objective.
