US Ambassador: We support fair elections in Egypt; have no preferred candidate
Mar 9th, 2010 | By Mohamed Abdel Salam | Category: Egypt, Media, News, United States
CAIRO: American Ambassador to Egypt, Margaret Scobey, during a visit to the Assiut Governorate in southern Egypt to sign an agreement with the governor there in order to finance 6 projects for drinking water stations and sanitation, said that the US Administration “does not support a certain candidate in the upcoming presidential elections” and stressed that her country supports holding free and fair elections anywhere in the world.
Scobey refused to announce the US position on the state of political upheaval in Egypt and also declined to comment on the demands of the potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei and former presidential candidate and leader of the al-Ghad Party Ayman Nour. She also did not comment on the possible presence of international monitors in the 2011 presidential election.
She denied the existence of an American agenda for the elections in Egypt in 2011, saying that the US does not support a particular candidate, “but merely to provide technical support to NGOs and help them to play a role in monitoring elections to be free, transparent and fair.”
She added that the US government “also provides support to assist the government in holding free and transparent elections.”
She also confirmed to reporters that the two-state solution and the establishment of a “just and comprehensive peace is the essential foundation of the policy of President Barack Obama with regard to the Palestinian cause and that this solution could end crises and problems in the Palestinian territories.”
The American administration, she continued, “calls on all parties to show self-restraint and condemn acts of provocation from both sides.” She also calls for the opening of the holy places in Palestine for members of all religions.
Commenting on a question regarding the possibility of a trial for former President George W. Bush for war crimes in Iraq, Scobey confirmed that the current U.S. administration “does not look to the past policies of the Bush administration, but has renewed its participation in the human rights organization of the UN and America believes in human rights and the US adminstration`s policies are based on humanitarian standards.”
This came during a press conference held by the US Ambassador and Assiut Governor General Nabil Ezabi in the general Divan of the governorate on Thursday, after signing an agreement to finance the construction of 6 stations for drinking water and sanitation in six villages across the governorate with the contribution of 92 million Egyptian pounds by the US and 8 million pounds from the Egyptian government.
It is part of the government’s agreements with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The project will be completed in September 2012, benefiting some 200,000 people.
Skobey said that “aid is by no means uniform” and pointed out that the existing investments in Assiut, including the industrial zones of which there were six districts, “they can pay the wheel of development in the province without the need for support.”
Scobey said that the US Administration has changed the course of economic assistance in human development.
The US is to “provide support for the Egyptian government plans to develop education” and “we talk with the government on development in Egypt,” she said.
BM
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The fact that US Administration “does not support a certain candidate in the upcoming presidential elections†is a welcomed statement but it represents passive neutrality that is no longer accepted
While, I personally do not care much for the candidacy of Dr. Ayman Nour and his position on many issues, I am furious, disgusted and ashamed of the US and free world shameful silence for what happen to him after the past election.
The whole world stood silent watching Dr. Nour crucifixion and making him an example for anyone who dare to stand against Mubarak. What happen in Egypt is no different that what happens in Zimbabwe by Mugabe’s regime or in Myanmar. The difference that these regimes are rejected and treated as pariah of the international community while Mubarak and his regime are welcomed everywhere
The US Administration is required to stay neutral in a more active form with a clear message to Mubarak regime that the old practices are no longer accepted and assurance of the Egyptian people it will help achieving a transparent and independent election, respect the people choice and demand the safety, human treatment and equal rights of the opposition candidates before and after the election.
Mohajer Masry
To Mohajer – yr comment #1
“The US Administration is required to stay neutral in a more active form with a clear message to Mubarak regime that the old practices are no longer accepted …”
A little technicality: either one is neutral or one sends clear messages – both is not possible.
Having said that – it’s in the absolute interest of the USA and Israel to keep the Mubarak’s in power. Knowing that “Jimmy”-Gamal’s wife is pregnant we can comfortably go back to sleep for the next 80 years!
USrael are the first one NOT TO ALLOW any change and certainly not direction democracy. Since 40 years the USA supports our tyrannic regimes to their and Israel’s benefit. Give me one good reason why they should change their strategy?
All they do is paying lip-service knowing full well that this kind of statement might turn the average citizen “Mohammed” away from Dr. Baradei. What USrael supports – even only by a hint – must be bad for the people. Unless you are totally detached from the Egyptians you should know this kind of thinking which is fundamentally not very far from the truth.
You also say: “…respect the people choice …” – do you mean the USA or Egypt? Like the choice of the Palestinians when they democratically elected Hamas?
They are the first ones to trample of peoples choices – see also Algeria and them electing the FIS in years gone by.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a supporter of any fundamentalist ideology. But I do believe in people’s choice and in the principles of real, direct democracy.
Something obviously foreign today to the USA.
Eleonora,
Maybe as an American I like to believe that the most solemn duty of the American president is to protect the American people interest, nothing romantic or moral about this task, everything MUST represent an interest of the USA.
That said, the issue becomes how we are presenting our case to the American administration and public. If we can’t explain how our strategy will help America, our enemies will define it as the opposite that our strategy will harm America.
Till now, the only message the Americans got from the Egyptian opposition leaders or NGOs, if Mubarak is your servant, we will be your slave, just give us more money, all this without even a plan on how to get there except that the American president should cut aids and order Mubarak to leave, it is really disgusting and laughable. Adding to that that Mubarak always said that the only alternative in Egypt is Islamic fanaticism, the American administration has limited options.
In the recent news on the military coup in Turkey, it was said that the American administration refused to give a green light to the army, we need to ask ourselves a question, why they would stop the army from removing Rajab Tayeb Erdogan, the man everyone love to hate, the man opposed and rejected the use of the Turkish land and air against Iraq. The man criticizes Israel more than the Palestinian themselves.
The answer is simple, it is his strategy and the positioning of Turkey, over the last few years, he showed the world that a democratic, strong, financially sound, stable and independent Turkey, even if Islamic, it is to the best interest and benefit of everyone.
Mohajer Masry