US views on political development in Egypt
Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/20/2007

The Bush administration says the Egyptian government's political reforms have shown mixed results, but it sees a general trend over the longer term toward greater openness and correspondence between Egypt's elected officials and their constituents.

Citing both positive and negative elements of Egyptian political development, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said March 20 that the "overall" US view is that the country has embarked upon a process of political reform and change.

"When you are able to at some point look back... you will see a general trend towards greater political reform, greater political openness, (and) a more direct correlation between... the will and needs and hopes of the Egyptian people and those whom they elect," he said.

McCormack listed Egypt's multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections as being positive developments, the latter of which resulted in "a changed face of the Egyptian parliament."

Also positive was the appointment of 31 female judges, McCormack said. He said judicial independence, which can uphold the society's rule of law and hold other branches of government to account, has been "a strength of the Egyptian system," citing recent judicial reviews of the country's electoral process.

"We think that it's important that that strength not only be maintained, but, where appropriate, the attitude," he said.

On the negative side, McCormack expressed concern over the continued imprisonment of former presidential candidate Ayman Nour, as well as the conviction of blogger Abdel Karim Suleiman -- who he said was "merely exercising his right to freedom of expression" -- and the refusal of the government to consider an appeal of Suleiman's sentence.

The spokesman also expressed US concerns over police tactics during Egypt's 2005 parliamentary elections, which he said were attempts to intimidate the government's political opposition.

McCormack was making his comments in response to a question on the country's upcoming March 26 referendum on proposed constitutional amendments.

He said that although the United States does not want to be "in the middle of what should be a domestic political event in Egypt," the Bush administration has had "some concerns" over the proposed changes to the Egyptian Constitution.

The Egyptian government previously expressed its intention to lift the country's state of emergency, make changes to police power and amend the freedom to organize political parties and allow greater free expression in the political sphere.

"Those were the benchmarks and standards that the Egyptian government had laid out for itself," McCormack said. "And I think if you look at some of the amendments that have been finally passed by the lower house, it does certainly raise questions about whether or not the Egyptian government has in fact met its own standards and benchmarks in that."

He urged that those with opinions on the amendments "be able to freely express themselves and their views through the media and in public" during the run-up to the referendum and while it is being conducted.

That, he said, is "consistent with Egypt's stated commitment to political reform and opening up the political space to greater freedom of expression."

McCormack said there is "always a balance" in democracy between "an environment in which people can freely express themselves" and the need to maintain civil order, and he said that balance "is going to be struck differently here (in the United States), for instance, than in the UK or Egypt or anyplace else around the globe."

However, he said, "you do fundamentally need to maintain the ability of people to freely express themselves in a system without fear of arrest or retribution. That is fundamental to any democracy."

Asked about the timetable of the referendum, the spokesman said it is also important that the Egyptian people be able to "inform themselves fully" on the amendments in order to understand them and form their opinions accordingly.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt's People Assembly approves constitutional amendments   (3/20/2007)
  US supports Egypt's peaceful nuclear program   (2/4/2007)
  Mubarak, Bush discuss regional situation over phone   (10/19/2006)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search