At the same time, in a multi-polar world, it is looking for other “compatible partners.”

The visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy speaking at the Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses here on Thursday said that Egypt wants to be “a regional power” and may not aspire to be “a world power” at this moment.

“As we intend to develop our political system and economic order we need countries like India,” he said.

He also said that in a multi-polar world, Egypt will be looking for “other compatible partners.”
Next week he intends to visit China.

When asked as to why Egypt has not signed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) treaty, he said “we will not sign or ratify OPCW, since we have not received response from international community. If Israel signs the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) we will sign OPCW. However, we will not use chemical weapons. We want the region to be free of biological and chemical weapons.”

On the issue of Palestine, Fahmy said “you cannot talk of a modern world where occupation prevails.” He suggested resolution of Israel-Palestine problem through negotiations.

“We are a regional power and we need to play our role,” he said.

Fahmy said that Egypt was busy building its democratic institutions which would be completed by summer next year.

Dwelling upon his country’s problems, the Egyptian Foreign Minister attributed the cause of the Arab Spring to the “wind of change” different from other parts of the world. About 56% of the population in the region are with 25 years young. Information revolution and bad governance resulted in “Arab Spring.”

The people wanted President Mubarak to effect necessary changes in the Constitution. They also asked President Morsi to conduct early elections and also effect necessary changes in the Constitution. In both the cases military intervened.

Fahmy said that the system of governance was based on centralization of power and the Government was unable to deal with issues at hand.

“In democracy the rule of law must prevail. When you are in power you do not have more rights. When you are out of power you have more rights and less power,” he said.

He said that Egyptian law does not prohibits protest demonstrations by the people.

Fahmy said that his government is in the process of reconciliation with different groups.

Regarding Muslim Brotherhood, he said that its “ideology is exclusive and not inclusive.”

“If they want to participate and renounce violence and accept the Constitution, we have no problem,” he said and added “the Constitution prohibits religious parties.”

As regards Egyptian Christians, he said “they are committed to a civil state and not a religious state.”