AUC says no hidden agenda with US government.CAIRO: The American University in Cairo American University in Cairo, at Cairo, Egypt; English language; founded 1919. It has faculties of anthropology, computer science, economics and political science, engineering, English and comparative literature, management, mass communication, psychology, science, (AUC AUC area under curve ) has called a report implying that a hidden agenda exits between the university and the American government "misleading." In its Monday edition, independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm published a federal contract between the US government and AUC along with a story by the America in Arabic news agency, implying that the university has been accepting funding from the US Department of Defense in secrecy secrecy see confidentiality. and hinting at a hidden agenda. "This account is misleading," AUC said in an official statement to the press.AaAaAa "Since 2006, AUC has had a contract with the US Naval Medical Research Unit in Egypt (NAMRU NAMRU Naval Medical Research Unit NAMRU Nursing and Midwifery Research Unit (UK) -- 3) to recruit and provide scientific staff in support of infectious disease Infectious disease A pathological condition spread among biological species. Infectious diseases, although varied in their effects, are always associated with viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites and aberrant proteins known as prions. research throughout the region, specifically relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc Avian Flu avian flu: see influenza. . The total value of this contract since 2006 is $1,964,035, i.e. $600,000 per year for the basic award, plus an additional $164,035 for travel expenses in the 2008 renewal," the statement explained. Margaret White, spokesperson of the US embassy in Cairo, confirmed AUC's statement. "The contracts between the US Naval Medical Research Unit in Egypt (NAMRU-3) and AUC have been a matter of public record since 2006. NAMRU-3 is a unit of the US Navy, which is in turn part of the US Department of Defense, headquartered at the Pentagon Pentagon Huge five-sided building (1941–43) in Arlington, Va., that is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense. Designed by George Edwin Bergstrom, it was, on its completion, the world's largest office building, covering 34 acres (14 hectares) and offering building in Washington, DC," she told Daily News Egypt.Aa "NAMRU-3 has collaborated scientifically with AUC for many years, and the relationship is completely academic in nature. Any allegations that imply a secret or improper relationship are false," she said. NAMRU-3, which was established in 1946, works closely with Egypt's Ministry of Health, conducting research and surveillance to support military personnel deployed to Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. The term Western Asia is sometimes used in writings about the archeology and the late prehistory of the region, and in the United States subregion , according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. its official website. A copy of the federal contract was provided to Daily News Egypt by America in Arabic, an independent Arabic news agency in the US. According to White, "Information on US government contracts worldwide is available on the website www.usaspending.gov Aa to everyone free of charge." Regarding the "purchaser information" in the contract, the "major agency" is the Department of Defense and the "contracting agency" is the Department of Navy. The award type between the two is a definitive contract, which is "a written or oral contract reflecting the last thing two parties have agreed on," explained Abdel Aziz Aidaros, corporate lawyer at LAW FIRM. Under "contract description," it said that it is a "non-personal service contract for infectious disease research in Cairo, Egypt." The "product or service information" states that it is "research and development in the social sciences and humanities." The contract was signed on August 22, 2007, its effective date is September 26, 2007 and the ultimate completion date for the project is September 21, 2011. Samer Suleiman, political economy professor at AUC, resented the fact that the news piece published in Al-Masry Al-Youm is implying that AUC is a spying/espionage agency in Egypt. "It is inappropriate [C*] AUC is an established educational institution and has been serving the country for decades," he said. "AUC's relationship with NAMRU is in keeping with the university's long-standing commitment to teaching, research and service to Egypt," stated AUC. Daily NewsEgypt 2009 Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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