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Egypt offers India exclusive zone along Suez Canal

In recognition of India’s growing role as an industrial and economic power, Egypt on Thursday offered India to set up an “India Zone” along the Suez Canal development areaThis was to create an India-specific industrial corridor for joint collaboration with Egyptian companies to capture the European and African markets.


This offer was made by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to the visiting Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma during their bilateral meeting held here on Thursday morning.

“The Egyptian Prime Minister offered us to establish an India Zone in the Suez Canal Development Area. This is a very significant development as India is the first country to be offered such a big industrial initiative by the Egyptian government which indicates our closely knit ties with the people and the government of this country,” Mr. Sharma said during an interaction with journalists from India.

Mr. Sharma said this also spoke highly of India’s growing industrial clout and its capacity to emerge as a strong and reliable partner. “We will take up this initiative at the highest level and ensure that this initiative takes off as soon as possible.”

Interestingly, 35 per cent world’s trade passes through the Suez Canal and this offer could give tremendous opportunity to India to extend its reach to emerging markets in Africa and also Europe, he added.

Mr. Sharma said both India and Egypt felt the need for energising the economic engagement in the spirit of the South-South cooperation. Dr. Nazif acknowledged India’s growing role in multilateral affairs of the world and impressive economic growth. “It provided an opportunity to review the bilateral engagements. Our trade stands at $30 billion, including investments in the oil and gas sectors, automobiles, and major presence in the IT sector. We also agreed to expand economic engagement and partnership and work for greater synergy in third world initiatives,” Mr. Sharma said.

He also had a bilateral meeting with Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid. Later, he addressed an informal WTO meeting of African countries and the India-Egypt Business Forum jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industry.

The Hindu : Business / Economy : Egypt offers India exclusive zone along Suez Canal
 

RAM

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Lawyers in Egypt's Hezbollah spy trial quit


CAIRO: Defense lawyers for a trial in Egypt of two dozen people charged with spying for Lebanon’s Hezbollah quit Wednesday after claiming the court was not impartial, judicial officials and the lawyers said.

The 26 suspects, including Egyptians, Palestinians and Lebanese, face charges of spying for a foreign group, planning attacks against tourists and shipping in the Suez Canal and sending operatives and explosives to Gaza to help militant groups there.

They went on trial Aug. 23 in front of an Emergency State Security Court.

Egypt's emergency courts have long been criticized by local and international rights groups for allowing looser standards of evidence and not following due process. Their rulings cannot be appealed.

Judicial officials said the lawyers quit after the chief judge rejected their demand for the case to be reviewed by another court

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press.

Prosecutors argued that Egypt has the right to refer defendants to any court it sees fit.

Montasser Al-Zayyat, a defense lawyer, confirmed that the legal teams suspended their participation in the court session because they the court is "not impartial."

"We had our doubts about the court and now they proved right," he said.

He said the lawyers will return if the court accepts their demands, including allowing families of the defendants to attend the closed door trial.

In April, Egyptian security officials said they had uncovered a Hezbollah cell plotting to destabilize the country.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has admitted sending an agent to supervise weapons shipments to Hamas in Gaza, but he has denied seeking to harm Egypt's security.

Prosecutors said 18 of the suspects provided Hezbollah with information about Suez Canal schedules, security details as well as information about tourist destinations in the Sinai Peninsula.

At least three of the suspects were also charged with digging tunnels under Egypt's border with Gaza with the intention of smuggling people and goods. Others are charged with providing safe-houses for militants who snuck across the border

The suspects include two Lebanese and five Palestinians.

According to the prosecutors, the Lebanese in the group provided the cell with money and technical expertise to collect information and acquire explosives to destabilize Egypt's security.

This is the first time Egypt has charged people involved in the smuggling trade with Gaza. Israel has long complained that Egypt is not doing enough to stop the smuggling of weapons and people through tunnels running beneath the border.

Since Hamas wrested control of Gaza from rival Palestinian faction Fatah, Egypt and Israel have imposed an economic and travel blockade on the seaside territory

Daily News Egypt - Full Article
 

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