Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said Tuesday he “does not fear civil war” in Egypt and that his country can find ways to survive if the Obama administration cuts off aid.
Speaking to ABC News, Beblawi said that any U.S. decision to shut down military aid to Egypt “will be a bad sign and will badly affect the military for some time,” but said even if Obama does suspend the funds, Egypt has “survived off Russian military aid for decades” in the past, “so there are ways that someone can survive.”
Beblawi also made it clear he will not be shamed into apologizing for the Egyptian military’s attempt to clear out pro-Morsi, pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters.
He asserted, “the fact of the matter is [the protesters] were not peaceful.” He said the government asked them to go and made announcements over loudspeakers asking the protesters “to leave peaceably and they answered back by firing.”
Beblawi said he has “no remorse” for attempts to clear out those protesters.
He also suggested Egyptian military deaths from last week’s clashes were not reported as eagerly as the deaths of the protesters. Said Beblawi: “there were victims on both sides.”
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins.
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