US reaffirms support for Egypt transition
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday reaffirmed Washington's "strong support" for Egypt's democratic transition, after talks with newly-elected President Mohamed Morsi.
"I have come to Cairo to reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Egyptian people and their democratic transition," Hillary said at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Mohammed Amr after the meeting.
"We want to be a good partner and we want to support the democracy that has been achieved by the courage and sacrifice of the Egyptian people," she said.
During her two-day visit to Egypt, the top US diplomat will also meet Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi as well as women activists and Coptic leaders.
Hillary's visit comes amid political maelstrom of a complex power struggle In Egypt between the Islamist president and the military that risks paralysing the country again.
"Democracy is hard," she said. "It requires dialogue and compromise and real politics. We are encouraged and we want to be helpful. But we know it is not for the United States it is for the Egyptian people to decide."
Hillary also sought assurances that its key Middle East ally will continue to press for regional security and uphold the peace treaty with Israel.
The origins of the battle for parliament lay in the constitutional declaration issued by the SCAF before the president was sworn in.
The declaration, which acts as a temporary constitution, granted the military sweeping powers, including legislative control, and rendered the presidential post little more than symbolic.
Mursi did not wait long to assert his own power either, issuing a decree summoning the disbanded, Islamist-led parliament just days after he took office.
And the judiciary, seen as allies of the generals, responded by rebuking Mursi.
But on Wednesday, the president said he would respect a court ruling overturning his decree, in an apparent bid to mollify an infuriated judiciary and the military.
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