Hassanein Heikal: “Morsi should have requested Algeria’s mediation in the Egyptian crisis with Ethiopia”

Egyptian writer and political thinker, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, called for the mediation of Algeria between Egypt and Ethiopia in the case of the renaissance bridge that has raised a real crisis between Cairo and Addis Ababa, and amounted to a threat of bombing the dam project before its completion, considering it a threat to the Egyptian water and national security.

Heikal’s proposal for the mediation of Algeria, came in the context of his response to deal with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, with the Syrian crisis and how to treat the issue of the renaissance bridge of Ethiopia, calling it a failure, based on his important experience in dealing with international issues, and awareness of the weight of Algeria in such complex issues, and in the system of the African Union, as well as previous diplomatic experiences in resolving crises and trouble spots, especially as it starts from the liberal and independent convictions from any block or international party.

Heikal said in an interview to the channel “CBC” that the situation is “very complicated. Reasons more complicated than they looks on the surface”; describing the official moves as characterized by ” Improvisation and lack of control in the files, “and added,” I thought that the President that the President would be proposed to choose an Arab country as a mediator and why not Algeria”, and calls for a summit to resolve the crisis at the level of presidents and be part of a large African framework, and not on the level of foreign ministers of Egypt and Ethiopia.

 “Morsi should discuss with an African president, and preferably it could be an Arab. Egypt’s status and its role cannot accept this when it will bring a team that is ready at the summit level, and tries to ease the tension”, and this before the start of negotiations. I fear of the consequences of this confusion in addressing the Nile water crisis with Ethiopia”.

Hassanein Heikal criticized the decision of Morsi to end ties with Syria; “It is a wrong decision that cannot be condoned”, because it  effected Egypt’s influence in the Syrian situation, and opposes the strategic decision and the rules of the National Security that is chosen in Egypt, adding; “The Egyptian national security is based on the presence in Syria, and the relationship does not accept the discussion, and if it came out of Syria and lost influence on the situation in Syria, it will go out from the whole continent of Asia”.

Heikel went to the extent of announcing pessimism about the future performance of Mohammed Morsi; “June is the month will reveal dangerous facts in the history of this country and this system” pointing out that “there are three disasters which occurred over three successive weeks, and every one of them is enough to topple this regime”.