Washington finances projects with governments except for Israel

Economic and Political Affairs Counsellor at the US Embassy in EGypt Richard Albright yesterday said American military and economic aid to Egypt will not change.

Albright, at a press conference, said the current $ 615 million in economic assistance to Egypt will at the coming stage be channeled into financing various sectors including education and civil societies.

He noted that the new US initiative, announced by US Secretary of State Colin Powell on American aid to the Middle East, included expanding American assistance to cover economic and educational sectors.

Some 20 million has been allocated by the US for the current year - to finance small-scale enterprises in cooperation with the Middle East governments except for Israel.

He dismissed any connection between this initiative and the current situation in the Middle East.

US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage has been appointed coordinator general of the initiative between the administration and the governments of regional countries, he said.