CAIRO: Deputy Egyptian Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hazem al-Beblawi today said that his resignation was due to political reasons and not economic issues. Al-Beblawy presented his resignation to the military council yesterday, but the council refused the resignation due to the incidents at Maspiro. “I suggested that the entire Egyptian government resign because they failed to perform their main job, which is to provide security for the Egyptian people,” al-Beblawy said in an interview with media broadcaster Mona el-Shazly on Dream2 Channel. “The events at Maspiro are the most dangerous setbacks in Egyptian history and the Egyptian government must be sorry for that,” al-Beblawy said. “All ministers therefore must present their resignations not because they made a mistake but because they could not perform their main job.” “The military council can then accept or reject their resignations,” he added. The military council, the Egyptian Cabinet and other economic organizations asked the following questions of al-Beblawy: Is the economic situation in Egypt so bad that it deserves minister resignations? Does Egypt have any hope to enhance its economy? Must Egyptians depend on religious movements to restore stability? “These fears drive me to reconsider the situation and if my resignation will affect the Egyptian economy,” he added. Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, rejected the resignation because he did not want his renouncement to be explained incorrectly, particularly in this phase, al-Beblawy said. “I really want to quit because I am not satisfied with Egyptian policy,” al-Beblawy continued. “However my renouncement was rejected because of my Egyptian interests.” “This is a big burden and I have to take time to decide what to do,” he added. “I do not like policy and I am not a politician,” he said. Al-Beblawy expressed his optimism regarding the Egyptian economic problems. “Investments in Egypt before the international crisis reached U.S. $13 billion, but they were reduced to U.S. $7 billion, and after the January 25 Revolution, investments disappeared entirely,” said al-Beblawy. Security and stability will sustain the Egyptian economy, he added. Egypt has all the economic qualifications, but it needs political stability to enhance its production. Al-Beblawi ended the interview by saying that Egypt's Prime Minister has a large burden.
