US organization raise anger of Egyptian government

Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday said statements by the International Republican Institute (IRI), US based nongovernmental organization, to a local newspaper on Saturday were unacceptable, denying an agreement between the Egyptian and American governments allowing the institute to carry out activities in Egypt without prior permit.

The spokesman said statements by the IRI officer to Nahdet Masr newspaper were absolutely incorrect, asserting that the Egyptian law stipulated that foreign non-governmental organizations must obtain a permit before engaging in any activities in the country.

He pointed out that the institute has not applied for such a permit and that the Foreign Ministry has summoned the director to inform her officially, in the presence of US embassy representatives, to halt any an activity until a permit is issued.

He added that statements by the institute's director on domestic conditions in Egypt and the process of reform over the past 25 years were considered a flagrant interference in the country's domestic affairs.

Worth noting that the organization said it attended the recent of elections process in Egypt for monitoring and added that "With the national election cycle now past - and the postponement of local elections until 2008 - there is concern that reform issues will be pushed to the sidelines and international pressure on the Egyptian government will wane as other regional imperatives take center stage."