The deputy supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood and one of its most powerful figures, Khairat El-Shater, has said that his organisation and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, told members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that a proposed $3.2 billion IMF loan should be postponed until after this month's presidential elections.
El-Shater also said in remarks at a meeting with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt that the Muslim Brotherhood agrees in principle with the loan as long as there is no other option to save the economy, but believes the deal should not be finalised by an interim government. "The loan should be postponed until a new government is formed because the new government might not find the terms of the deal suitable," he stated. "The government that signs the deal of the loan should be responsible for repaying it," he added.
El-Shater pointed out that the Brotherhood respects all agreements that Egypt is signatory to as long as the other parties are committed to the terms of these agreements.
The Muslim Brotherhood leader also said that all of Arab and Western businessmen he has met see great investment opportunities in Egypt but wait for stability and security. "The Freedom and Justice Party will present several legislative adjustments to parliament in order to create a better investment environment," El-Shater said.
© Al Ahram Weekly 2012
