Amr Moussa

Amr Moussa (Arabic: عمرو موسى ʿ Amr Musa, often Amr Musa or Moussa written; born October 3, 1936 in Cairo ) is an Egyptian diplomat and politician. From 2001 to 2011 he was Secretary General of the Arab League, before he was Foreign Minister of Egypt. Since September 2012, he is chairman of the new party conference.

Life

Training and beginnings as a diplomat

Mussa studied until 1957 at the University of Cairo law and then pursued a career as a professional diplomat. Between 1958 and 1972 he was, inter alia, at the embassies in Switzerland and in the United Nations. Then Mussa was 1974-1977 personal adviser to the foreign minister. After his appointment as Head of the Department for International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977, he was from 1981 to 1983 Deputy Representative of Egypt to the United Nations from 1983 to 1986 and ambassador to India. Then he returned as head back to the Foreign Ministry and was appointed Egyptian Ambassador to the United Nations in 1990.

Position as Foreign Minister and General Secretary of AL-

In the government of Kamal al - Ganzuri he was appointed foreign minister in 1991 and remained in that post until 2001. During his tenure, Mussa was a critic of the United States and its relations with Israel. He was appointed Secretary General of the Arab League in 2001. Many critics of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hold the view that Mussa's appointment as Secretary General of Mubarak's request was motivated to during his time as Secretary of State very popular ( and thus a potential competitor for Mubarak ) has become Mussa in a position with less public to urge attention. As Secretary General, he is inter alia to for canceling the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip a.

On April 10, 2011, he called for a no-fly zone for the Gaza Strip to stop attacks by the Israeli Air Force. He supported the imposed no-fly zone over Libya to face an " increasingly inhuman regime " to proceed. However, the bombing of NATO troops, he criticized as not effective for the protection of the civilian population. Supported as stated by the British foreign minister but continued military action.

Role in the opposition and potential presidential candidacy

Prior to the presidential election in Egypt in 2005 (which was overshadowed by allegations of forgery ) was Mussa acted as a possible candidate, but explained that he wanted to lead his term as Secretary General of the Arab League to end. During the revolution in Egypt in 2011 he was traded as a possible presidential candidate of the opposition to succeed Mubarak. On 26 February 2011, he announced that he would run for president. He therefore dispensed with another term as Secretary-General of the AL, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby was elected his successor on May 15, 2011.

Within the opposition Mussa is seen controversially. On the one hand he is still popular as a foreign policy expert and is regarded by many Egyptians as an experienced statesman. On the other hand, it is considered suspicious because of his links to the old Mubarak regime. This compound is ( the more likely preclude a significant departure from the Mubarak politics ), about of the Council on Foreign Relations, while considered by some strategists abroad to be positive for stability in the country. According to statements made by Seymour Hersh in February 2011, Moussa was favored by U.S. diplomats as " Plan B" for president if Mubarak should resign. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information ( ANHRI ) (part of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange) also criticized that Mussa eg no support for the protests in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain showed.

In the constitutional referendum in Egypt in 2011, he spoke out against the constitutional amendments, because they were not profound enough for effective changes in Egypt and called for a new constitution. Mussa Thus, wanted the Director of the GIGA Institute of Middle East Studies, Henner Fürtig opinion, also publicly by the old regime ( and the associated charge nearby) distance. He worked in 2013 on behalf of de transitional government a new constitution.