Rice calls on Egypt to reform, release leader of al-Ghad party
Egypt, Politics, 2/16/2005

The US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice expressed her country's concern over the arrest of the leader of the Egyptian al-Ghad party Ayman nour and called for solving this issue as soon as possible.

Rice said in a joint press conference with the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Abu al-Ghait following their talks in Washington that she had expressed during this meeting Washington's strong concern, and stressed the importance of this issue for the American administration, Congress and people.

Rice explained that she had discussed with Abu al-Ghait issues of reforms and democracy in the Arab homeland and renewed confirmation on what was stated by the US President George W. Bush in his speech two weeks ago to that the Egyptian government should lead the reform operation in the Arab states in line with its role in the peace process in the region.

The Egyptian foreign minister did not comment on Rice's statement and confined to referring to other issues tackled during the talks, including the Middle East peace process, conditions in Iraq and Lebanon and bilateral relations.

A judge in Abideen court in Cairo ordered on January 31st the jailing Ayman Nour for 45 days for investigations carried out by the state security court in the case of falsifying authorization credentials of the founders of al-Ghad party who was elected as a president for this party on November 6th, 2004.

The Egyptian parliament lifted immunity from Nour at the request of the attorney general to investigate him.

The Egyptian opposition figure attributed the government's action to his rejection of the principle of inheriting the authority in Egypt, in reference to Gamal Mubarak inheriting the rule from his father Hosni Mubarak, and his repeated requests to amend the constitution in Egypt in order to change the process to have direct voting for electing the president of the country instead of general voting that confirms the one candidate selected by the parliament.

The Egyptian opposition parties are leading a campaign against extending for President Mubarak a fifth term of office or preparing his son Gamal for his succession when his fourth term of office expires in October this year.

On the other hand, the Egyptian opposition rejected the American interference in the case of the leader of al-Ghad party after the US expressed Washington's concern over arresting Nour in January.

Previous Stories:
  NCHR reaffirms confidence in Egyptian judiciary over Nour case   (2/15/2005)
  Statement by the public prosecution regarding MP Ayman Nour and others   (2/14/2005)
  Egypt: release of al-Ghad party deputy chairman   (2/12/2005)

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