CAIRO [MENL] -- Egypt has signed a contract for the nation's first spy
satellite.The contract signed on Wednesday calls on the Ukraine to build and
launch Egypt's first remote-sensing satellite. Egyptian officials termed the
satellite as a civilian project.No figure was given for the contract. Western defense sources in Cairo
said the contract could mark a watershed in Egypt's search for a spy
satellite meant to rival the remote-sensing capabilities of neighboring
Israel. In December 2,000, Israel launched the Eros A satellite, described
as having dual use capabilities.Egyptian officials said the satellite is called EgyptSat and would be
used for development projects and desert exploration. Egyptian Higher
Education Minister Mufid Shihab said Egypt seeks what he teremd a peaceful
space program that deploys satellite technology.So far, Egypt has obtained space images from commercial companies,
including those in the United States. But Egyptian officials acknowledged
that President Hosni Mubarak explored the option of purchasing a spy
satellite from Russia during his visit to Moscow in June.The Egyptian effort, which also included missile purchases from Russia,
encountered opposition from the United States. Egypt obtains nearly $2
billion a year in economic and military aid from Washington.
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