State Ministry of Information responds to article attributed to Fouad Al-Hashem

alhadath – cairo

State Ministry of Information has followed the article attributed to Mr. Fouad Al-Hashem, the Kuwaiti journalist, which contained offensive remarks against Egypt, its people, and Arab moral values, in addition to allegations that harm Egypt’s health and tourism sectors.

In this regard, the State Ministry affirms the following:

First: The descent of this individual into the mire of vulgarity he used against Egypt and its people is entirely unacceptable. It represents moral degradation before it is a professional and media failure, and is conduct that cannot be tolerated or overlooked.

Second: The State Ministry extends its appreciation to the voices from Kuwait and other Arab Gulf countries—media professionals, intellectuals, officials, and honorable citizens—who were quick to condemn what this individual committed against Egypt and its people. They expressed the genuine and deeply rooted national and pan-Arab sentiments shared by the peoples of Egypt and Kuwait. Their articles and opinions reflected the historical social, political, and cultural ties that bind the two brotherly nations, both in the past and present, and recalled the many figures who contributed to strengthening these relations, including within Kuwaiti media. With gratitude, it remembers prominent names who played a role in its development, such as the late Dr. Ahmed Zaki and Mr. Ahmed Bahaa El-Din, among others.

Third: The State Ministry calls upon Egyptian media professionals and citizens not to fall into the trap of conflating this individual’s deviation from all values, norms, and ethics with the brotherly Kuwaiti people, who hold deep affection for Egypt—its leadership, citizens, and cultural and media elites—and who have always been keen to maintain strong relations with Egypt. It also urges them not to be drawn into the discord that this offending individual sought to provoke at this particular time in an attempt to create division between the two peoples. In our view, the author of the article represents no one but himself, and we hold the Kuwaiti media and people in higher regard than to be represented by such views.

Fourth: In response to the offensive content of the aforementioned article, and in order to deter this individual and others who seek to undermine relations among our peoples, the following measures have been taken:

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates, through the Egyptian Embassy in Kuwait, has communicated with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the offensive content directed at Egypt and its people.
• Based on coordination between the Egyptian and Kuwaiti Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs was informed by his Kuwaiti counterpart that the matter has been referred in its entirety to the Public Prosecutor in brotherly Kuwait to take the necessary legal action.
• The State Minister of Information contacted the Minister of Information of Kuwait to express complete rejection of the article, which was published in a Kuwaiti media outlet. This act is unacceptable and harms the strong relations between the two countries. He also expressed confidence that the Kuwaiti side will not tolerate such behavior.

At the same time, during the phone call, the State Minister of Information reaffirmed Egypt’s full support—government and people—for the brotherly State of Kuwait in facing the unjustified Iranian attacks it is subjected to.

• Coordination is currently ongoing between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Egypt and Kuwait regarding possible legal measures, in accordance with Kuwaiti law, against the individual in question.
• State Ministry of Information has submitted memoranda to the Kuwaiti Journalists Association, the Arab Journalists Union, and the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate to take the necessary actions stipulated in their respective regulations regarding this violation, which contravenes all professional standards and media codes of ethics that reject the use of media to offend or create division between brotherly nations.

State Ministry of Information calls upon all media professionals and citizens in Arab countries, including those in Egypt, as well as Arab and Egyptian cultural elites, to play their role in safeguarding Arab relations and preventing attempts at incitement and discord—especially under current circumstances that require unity and solidarity in facing the challenges confronting the nation.

The State Ministry also reiterates its determination, along with all relevant Egyptian authorities, to subject any violations that harm national interests or damage relations with brotherly Arab countries to Egyptian laws and regulations. It likewise calls on the concerned authorities in brotherly Arab states to take similar action against those who offend Egypt and its people or seek to harm their countries’ relations with it, in accordance with their respective legal systems and regulations.