Foreign Ministry: Interference in Egyptian judiciary not acceptable

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Friday that it was "astonished" that US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack criticized an Egyptian court ruling upholding a verdict that sentenced Al-Ghad Party leader Ayman Nour to five years in prison.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alaa el-Hadidi said that the US comment implied a front to the rulings and independence of the Egyptian judiciary.

He said demands that run counter to the rulings of the Egyptian judiciary are not acceptable.

Nour was convicted of forging registration documents of his nascent party.

Hadidi further rejected criticism of Egyptian efforts to maintain public order and stop firmly in the face of those who want to violate law under the pretext of freedom of expression.

On his part Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit sent verbal messages to his European counterparts and European Union Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

He regretted the EU statement on developments of the judiciary issue.

"Abul-Gheit underlined the importance of respecting the countries' sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs," said his press officer.

Abul-Gheit said the EU, which has strategic ties with Egypt, should have sought to explore rules and laws governing staging rallies in Egypt rather than issuing statements based on ill-founded information taken from inaccurate sources.