A Transcript Of Ap Interview With Egypt's El-sissi

CAIRO (AP) — A transcript of The Associated Press's interview with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. What role will Egypt assume in the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group? Let me assert here that we are fully committed to cooperate in counterterrorism in the region and not just when It comes to dealing with Daesh the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Will airstrikes targeting the Islamic State group by the United States and others be enough to destroy the organization? What is important is that there should be a suitable atmosphere in Iraq so this confrontation can succeed. What I am talking about here is that the size of the Iraqi forces, together with the efforts by the United States and others would be enough, or at least that is what I think. How long do you think it will take to defeat the Islamic State group? There is no doubt that counterterrorism takes time because it is not action against a regular army. [...] as I did in the past let me assert again that we spoke about these dangers a long time ago and we warned against them and said that the presence in the region of foreign fighters is very dangerous. To gather them in an environment like this is extremely dangerous. [...] the challenge is to stop these fighters from reaching the region. Following the ouster of the regime (of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011), weapons should have been collected, the army and security agencies should have been rebuilt, and there should have been help in setting up a democratic system that satisfies all Libyans. The situation there poses a danger not just to us and Europeans, it requires a joint effort to restore stability in Libya. In cooperation with neighboring nations and the international community, we have made other successes inside Libya, political success. What we are trying to do now is to ensure that the Libyan parliament and the will of the Libyan people is respected. The elements in Sinai are jihadis with a radical ideology, including, for example, Ansar beit al-Maqdis (Champions of Jerusalem). Doing that would make a real contribution to the fight against terrorism. Egypt would have been just like those countries that now suffer from large-scale violence and internal fighting and possibly civil war. Education needs to get the attention it deserves so the educational and cultural production in Egypt improves considerably. [...] for us to destroy the phenomenon itself and its root causes we are talking about the economy, ignorance within the education system and the religious discourse. [...] the situation was not very clear, and it didn't receive proper attention until the events in Iraq took place and the Islamic State swept over the Iraqi-Syrian borders and committed all these atrocities. Why? Because theoretical radical ideologies have been turned into a real practice. Everyone who embraces a radical ideology in his home country is contained by security agencies there and prevented it from reaching a dangerous level like what we are seeing now. What happened in the last two years is that the ideology has turned into field action on the ground and those individuals from across the world gathered in the region and began their fight. Public opinion is ready for the sort of renewal we have in mind, rejecting terrorism and extremism and reviving the tolerance and moderation of the Muslim faith. Al-Azhar and the Ministry of Islamic Endowments in Egypt have been making a huge effort in this regard but I must clearly say that this will not bring about a decisive result. Some of your critics claim that your crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood has pushed many moderate Islamists into militancy. [...] the Muslim Brotherhood had the chance to rule Egypt without any form of violence. If you paid attention to what we said in the July 3 statement (which announced the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi), it gave a chance (for the Brotherhood) to participate and work together again. The opportunity to participate is there, but on condition there is no violence or strife and that they accept genuine democratic practices, transfer of power. Some of your critics at home and abroad claim that you are laying the foundation of a one-man populist regime, citing the protest law, monitoring of the Internet and the jailing of thousands. Egyptians carried out two revolutions in less than four years and that exerts a massive effect on the general disposition of people, as well as on security and the economy. Let me assure you that not even a third of that number (is detained) which goes to show that security agencies are showing a great deal of patience in dealing with the Egyptian condition, which is a state of revolution, with all its symptoms. Please bear in mind the security situation in the Sinai, the terrorist acts that are taking place across the nation. Can freedoms and the fight against terrorism go hand in hand? Are you aware of the growing reports of police abuse and the intolerance of any narrative that is not in line with the one embraced by you and your regime? The human rights you are talking about and which many talk about, we don't want to limit them to the freedom of expression, although I respect the freedom of expression without a doubt. There are many people who suffer in Egypt and I imagine that human rights (groups) overlook their need to live in dignity, get a good education and find a real job opportunity. [...] Egyptians' response to that measure (lifting subsidies) — and it was a harsh measure for many Egyptians at the level of poverty, a difficult one — but they accepted it and dealt with it in an admirable way. What is your response to worries among investors about increased state and military role in the economy? Insuring the navigational waterway, for example, is something that is a duty of the armed forces, along with the other agencies of the state. The army has to be (supervising)...