Soviet Union Helped Egypt Build Country That Makes Its Own Decisions — Nasser’s Son
Cairo’s megalopolis.
CAIRO (Sputnik) — The Soviet Union helped Egypt build as an independent country that makes decisions autonomously, Hakim Abdel Nasser, son of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, told Sputnik ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit. «He always wanted us to understand that Egypt’s relationship with the Soviet Union was not merely a relationship of two governments, but a part of the historical circumstances, in which Egypt was looking for friends capable of helping it build a state that would make decisions independently,» he said. Nasser came to appreciate the Soviet Union’s support after Egypt lost the war with Israel in 1967 and needed assistance to restore its armed forces, Hakim Nasser said. «He understood that it would require large-scale assistance to rebuild Egypt’s armed forces. At that time, the Soviet Union provided Egypt with weapons, equipment and specialists, contributing to efforts to rebuild its military potential,» Nasser noted. The Soviet support for Egypt increased following Abdel Nasser’s secret visit to Moscow in January 1970. Pilots and air defense forces were sent to Egypt to conduct training with new missile complexes and participate in defense of the country’s airspace. Nasser’s son emphasized that his father viewed the Soviet participation in the construction of the Aswan High Dam as an example of cooperation that does not encroach on the country’s decision-making. «Egypt was the one to make the decision on the construction of the dam, while the Soviet Union provided assistance, expertise and resources to implement the project,» he said. Gamal Abdel Nasser served as the Egyptian president from 1954 until his death in 1970. He was one of the founders of the Organization of African Unity and appointed as its president in 1964. The organization was established in 1963 to strengthen solidarity among African countries and facilitate the fight against colonialism. It was replaced by the the African Union in 2002. The former Egyptian leader contributed to the fight against colonialism and maintained the unity of the Arab world. The third Russia-Africa summit will take place in Moscow on October 28-29. The leaders will talk about sovereignty, historic memory and countering neocolonialism in the 21th century.
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