By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Egyptian President and chairman of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) Hosni Mubarak has reiterated Egypt’s resolve to establish nuclear stations to ensure its energy requirements, highlighting the strategic importance of water security.
At the closing session of the ninth NDP general conference Tuesday, Mubarak said he rejected any pressures, conditions or interference in Egypt’s affairs, noting that his country would protect its sovereignty and the independence of its will.
Mubarak, re-elected chairman of the NDP during the four-day meeting, called on the party and government to do their utmost to lure more investments, especially in Upper Egypt, to generate more jobs.
He underlined the need to give more support to the agricultural sector and work out solutions for farmers’ problems, asking the government to earmark 20 billion Egyptian pounds (USD 3.62 billion) to finance sanitary drainage projects within the next three years.
Mubarak stressed the NDP’s vision to strengthen the foundations of “a modern and civil state”.
He noted that the party was resolved to continue its efforts to spread the principles of democracy, pluralism, and press ahead with comprehensive reforms so as to establish a modern society that does not mix religion with politics.
The NDP general conference, held every five years, was attended by some 6,500 representatives of the 2.25-million party members in the country. The NDP, established in 1978, obtains almost four-fifths of the seats in the 454-member People’s Assembly (lower house of the Egyptian parliament).