Head of the Carter Center in Cairo San Fandn Berg today met with El-Sayyed el-Badawy, the head of the Egyptian al-Wafd Party, to discuss the current political situation, the upcoming parliamentary elections, new proposed articles in the Egyptian constitution and if the al-Wafd Party will support international supervision of elections. Al-Badawy earlier refused international supervision over Egyptian elections claiming that Egyptians must master their own destinies. He also claimed that no foreign ruler could fabricate the will of Egyptian people. “The Egyptian elections are supervised by judges and we trust Egyptian justice,” al-Badawy said. “Egyptian people oppose foreign interference in national affairs and Egypt is a great country with a long democratic history.” Egypt created its own constitution in 1882 and its own parliament in 1886, he said, adding that Egypt started the multiparty system in 1907. “Egypt appreciates the role of the Carter Center in Cairo; Egyptian people respect President Carter for his vital role in brokering peace between Egypt and Israel as well as his recent vocal support of Palestinian rights,” said al-Badawy. “However Egypt opposes foreign supervision of Egyptian elections,” he added. All members of the international media will witness democracy in Egypt during the election process, he said. “The Egyptian society is suffering due to some civil society organizations receiving foreign funds, particularly the U.S. embassy in Cairo,” he said. Egyptians have controlled their country since the January 25 Revolution, al-Badawy claimed, and they will not accept anything less than true elections representing the will of the people, he added. “Egypt is a great country and leads African and Arabian countries – we will not accept international supervision,” he added. Al-Badawy also said that the documents from the Egyptian Democratic Alliance, Al-Azhar and the Egyptian state are all necessary for each movement.
