Sunday, May 13, 2007
CAIRO (AP)--Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he is opposed to a Saudi plan to build a bridge linking the oil-rich kingdom with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, an Egyptian newspaper reported Sunday.
If built, the bridge over the Gulf of Aqaba, connecting Saudi's western coast to the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, would be the first direct link between the two continents of Africa and Asia.
"Nobody has talked to us about this," Mubarak told the Cairo evening paper Al-Messa in an interview. "I refuse to build such a bridge or its passing through Sharm el-Sheik."
Egypt has been pushing for the construction of such a bridge for years, and it is not clear if there are political considerations behind Mubarak's rejection.
Thousands of Egyptians travel by sea on their annual pilgrimage to Islam's holy shrines in Saudi Arabia, while tens of thousands of Saudi tourists visit Egypt annually.
"The passing of the bridge through Sharm el-Sheik will inflict damage on (its) hotels, its touristic installations and will spoil the tranquility and security of life there," Mubarak was quoted as saying.
Last week, the Saudi newspaper The Arab News reported that King Abdullah is expected to launch the $3 billion (EUR2.2 billion) structure this week during a tour to the kingdom's northern provinces.
Another Saudi newspaper, the Arab Times, said the bridge will be privately financed by a consortium of Saudi, Egyptian and international companies, and the first phase of the project will cost some $375 million (EUR278 million).
Israeli papers have reported that Tel Aviv is worried the bridge could jeopardize the security of its shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 13, 2007 11:49 ET (15:49 GMT)
