Britain protected Mubarak; evaluations say he is in-corruptible: BBC

CAIRO – 25 December 2017: The British government is keen to protect former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s reputation during his term as Vice-President of Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, according to secret British documents published by the BBC on December 24.

The document stated that it was highly likely that Mubarak will become the next Egyptian president after Sadat. It also suggested that Britain hoped to hold several weapon’s deals with him after he becomes President.

The reports affirmed that the British Government evaluated Mubarak as in-corruptible, stating that he reluctantly accepted the position as Egypt’s President after Sadat’s assassination in 1981.

The secret document, also noted in a telegraph, was sent by then-British Ambassador in Cairo, Michael Scott Weir, to his Government, shortly before Mubarak’s last visit to London as the Vice-President.

Weir, who served as the British Ambassador to Cairo between 1979 and 1985, advised his Government not to make too much propaganda regarding Mubarak’s visit as it might be misunderstood by Sadat, then-President.

“Mubarak’s real power lies in his ability to support Sadat and show with him in every single event without any indication that he might be a source of threat,” Weir said in his personal and secret message.

The message continued, “If Sadat [feels] that Mubarak might represent any kind of threat over his ruling, he may think of reducing his powers to control him.”

The British documents also suggested that Mubarak, unlike Sadat, does not have a vision for ruling, suggesting that he is not a deep-thinker.

In other episodes published earlier on November 23, the BBC stated that Mubarak accepted settling Palestinians in Egypt, upon request from the United States, more than three decades ago.

It was added that Mubarak said he would accept the American request only if it came within a proper framework to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. This information was revealed by Mubarak during a meeting with then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1983.

Former President Mubarak is the fourth Egyptian president. He ruled the country from 1981 until February 11, 2011, when he was forced to step down, following demonstrations against him.