Long Questions Continued U.S. Economic Aid and Provision of Nuclear Technology to Egypt

Rep. Clarence Long (D. Md) today strongly questioned continued U.S. economic assistance to Egypt and the provision of nuclear technology to that country at a time when the Egyptian government is using a major portion of its resources for military purposes.

Long, who is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on foreign appropriations, referred to the nuclear reactor promised Egypt by the U.S. “If Egypt had nuclear weaponry that would be the end of detente in the Middle East,” he said.

Long made his remarks in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency after he and other Congressional leaders met with President Carter and Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance at the White-House to discuss pending legislation related to foreign affairs. The discussion was said to have included the transfer of $190 million the U.S. earmarked for food and development projects in Egypt. A State Department spokesman indicated later that the Carter Administration is reviewing the projected sale of two nuclear power plants to Egypt and Israel.

Declaring that he was “very sympathetic to Egypt’s economic problems,” Long asked, however, “Why should we be coming to Egypt’s aid when it is spending about 25 percent of its gross national product–about $2 billion out of $9,3 billion–on military purposes?” He noted that was “four times as much as the United States is spending, relatively speaking, and it doesn’t include the large quantities of Egypt’s arms paid for by other Arab countries.”

Referring to people who “complain about our support of Israel,” the Congressman said, “One of the reasons why we are putting so much into Israel is because we are giving so much to Egypt.” In the period since the Israeli-Egyptian Sinai agreement, the U.S. has committed itself to projects totaling more than $2 billion for economic development and food commodities for Egypt.