Egyptian Businessman Najib Sawiris: Terrorism, Killing Innocents, Bombings And Suicide Attacks Will Lead Us Nowhere

Egyptian Businessman Najib Sawiris, chairman of the board of directors of the Egyptian communications company ORASCOM, was interviewed on Al-Arabiya TV, mainly on political issues. The following are excerpts:

Sawiris: Our problem, in the Arab world, is that we love conspiracy theories. Anyone who's successful is not so because he works hard or because he is clever, and not because he has a good connection with God. No, he he's successful because of the US.

If we suffer tragedies or some sort of destruction, the US and Israel are responsible for it, not us. The truth is that all our tragedies and troubles originate from within us. The Palestinian leadership should also be blamed. As you know, I have very close ties with the Palestinian leadership and they are all my friends. But for 50 years we have not progressed at all.

Mister Sharon strikes us and left and right and we strike as much as possible, but the first thing I want to say to my Palestinian brothers, and this is my advice to them - Terrorism, killing innocents, bombings and suicide attacks will lead us nowhere. Look, when we use civilized means? When we turned to the International Court of Justice, we won the case and that is why our position is stronger today. When we stopped the terrorism and the bombings we began...

Even if this man, Sharon, continues with his crimes and bloodshed - and I'm convinced he doesn't want peace - let us be better than them. My opinion is that we need to begin to progress, because the children who die, the boys who die for? And the mother who looses her son? The Palestinian people has a right to see better days and live a normal life? In all honesty, I am tired of this subject.

I agree that today we must strongly criticize the Palestinian leadership because it has gotten us nowhere. We are in this situation for 50 years already, and we want to see progress. They say "no" to everything? No, no, and no? And every time we try to do something, a faction from among them blows it all up. It makes no sense that every time there is progress and a chance to move forward, someone comes and makes problems or blows something up and we return to square one. I oppose killing innocents under any pretext and by anyone. This will not lead us to our target in any way.

Host: Finally, Najib Sawiris, if President Husni Mubarak calls for elections today for presidential elections by the people and there are three candidates: Husni Mubarak, Jamal Mubarak, and Omar Suleiman, who would you vote for?

Nagjib Sawiris: Husni Mubarak.

Host: This is the easiest answer?