US House of Representatives vote to keep annual aid to Egypt intact
Egypt-USA, Economics, 7/26/2001

The US House of representatives Wednesday voted in favor of keeping in place the annual US. aid given to Egypt in recognition of Egypt's role in backing peace and stability.

Some 381 members voted for a bill regarding the U.S. foreign appropriations in the new budget and 46 voted against.

The bill will keep in place the US aid given to Egypt, estimated at $ two billion, including $ 655 millions in economic aid and $ 1.3 billion in military aid.

The Senate appropriations committee on Thursday will look into a similar bill before being referred to the Senate.

Finally, a joint committee of the senate and the house of representatives will meet to phrase a unified law on foreign operation, estimated at $ 15 billion.

The Egyptian diplomacy has exerted tireless efforts over the past period to face the campaigns launched by a number of Egyptian elements in the US to tarnish Egypt's stances regarding a number of domestic and regional issues.

Egypt's ambassador in Washington Nabil Fahmi held a series of meetings with congressmen to brief them on Egypt's stance Vis-a-Vis a number of regional issues.

Such diplomatic efforts have succeeded in facing attempts to discontinue the US aid to Egypt.

However, pro-Israel elements inside the congress have managed to pass a special legislation linking the US aid to the Palestinian authority to the US President's report on how far the PA is committed to renouncing terrorism.

In case the PA did not manage to abide by some items in Oslo agreements, especially as regards discarding violence, a number of punitive measures will be imposed against the Palestinians, such as classifying the PA as a terrorist organization and cutting aid.

In the new budget, Israel will receive $ 2.7 billion from the US, while the assistance given to the Palestinians after reaching Oslo agreements did not exceed $ 100 million annually.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian exports to US up by 20 percent   (7/23/2001)
  American aid reduction applies to all countries   (4/5/2001)
  US, Egypt agree on measures to strengthen Economic Cooperation   (4/4/2001)

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