Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Ahmed al-Qattan on Wednesday said statements made last week by a Muslim Brotherhood leader about an alleged deal to hand over Hosni Mubarak to Saudi Arabia last year were false.
Brotherhood Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat al-Shater had alleged the kingdom offered to give Egypt LE4 billion in exchange for handing over the ousted president, who is currently awaiting a 2 June court verdict over charges of ordering the killing of protesters during last year’s uprising.
Shater said Egypt declined the offer because the amount was too small.
Some people claim Saudi Arabia worked to undermine the uprising because Mubarak was its closest ally in the region, and it feared the revolution would affect other Arab regimes.
Qattan dismissed Shater’s statements in a statement issued by the Saudi Embassy.
“These rumors are entirely false. Khairat al-Shater should make sure what he says is accurate, because by saying such things he affects long-standing brotherly relations,” he said.
Qattan said the kingdom does not interfere in Egypt’s internal affairs and that it only hopes to help Egypt overcome the current crisis because of the country’s importance in the Arab world.
The Saudi ambassador asked Shater to present proof of his accusations, other than what is published in the press.
“Talk about offering certain sums of money [to take Mubarak] is mere illusion conjured up by some people’s imaginations, because the Saudi kingdom has clearly stated its general policy toward Egypt, and that whatever Egypt decides is an internal affair respected by the kingdom,” Qattan said.
He emphasized that his country is neutral toward all presidential candidates and would welcome cooperation with any president Egyptians choose.
Saudi Arabia transferred US$1 billion to Egypt’s central bank Thursday in a move seen as helping Cairo secure a $3.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. The IMF has demanded that Egypt first come up with an economic program that has broad domestic political support and to line up additional resources from international donors before accepting the loan.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
