Follow-Up: Egypt's Parliament Again Delays Vote on Saudi Defence Authorization, Now Set for October 26
CAIRO — Members of Egypt's House of Representatives said the chamber adjourned a second closed-door session on Monday (October 19) held to discuss President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's request for authority for the armed forces to support Saudi Arabia if the kingdom requests it, and postponed the vote until October 26, Reuters reported. It was the second delay since Sunday's emergency session.
Sisi said on Saturday that Egypt would take "any measure" necessary to protect its Gulf allies, a sharper public commitment after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil and other infrastructure, and Egypt's National Defence Council has pledged Saudi Arabia all necessary and possible forms of support. Sunday's emergency closed-door session ended with two lawmakers telling AFP the vote would continue on Monday to allow all lawmakers to be heard.
Under Egypt's constitution, sending the armed forces on a combat mission beyond the country's borders requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority, after consultation with the National Defence Council.
The Egyptian Social Democratic Party said on Sunday it had instructed its lawmakers to abstain, saying parliament had not received sufficient information about the proposed mission's objectives, scope, duration, cost or risks to Egyptian troops. While affirming support for Saudi security, the party said Egypt should avoid an open-ended military commitment and preserve room for diplomacy, citing the country's economic pressures and the risks to Red Sea shipping and Suez Canal revenue.
Al-Azhar's grand imam also called on Sunday for an urgent mediation effort by Arab and Muslim leaders to contain the conflict and avert further bloodshed.
Saudi Arabia has a $5.3 billion deposit at Egypt's central bank due this month, plus $267.39 million in interest, central bank data showed. Egypt's EGX30 index fell early in Monday's session amid concern over possible military involvement, then recovered to close 0.4% higher. Nematallah Choucri, head of research at HC Securities, said geopolitical developments had become the main factor behind recent market losses. (GSM, based on Reuters reporting)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于新行政首都的埃及众议院大楼（CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons 取得）
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