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John Kerry meets Egyptian president and foreign minister in Cairo John Kerry meets Egyptian president and foreign minister in Cairo
(35 minutes later)
US-Egyptian ties have inched closer to normality as America's top diplomat, John Kerry, held talks in Cairo with Egypt's new president and foreign minister. US-Egyptian ties have inched closer to normality as America's top diplomat, John Kerry, held talks in Cairo with Egypt's new president.
Kerry met Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the former general who was elected president last month, and his foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, on Sunday, hours after it was announced that the US had resumed almost all of its suspended aid to Egypt.Kerry met Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the former general who was elected president last month, and his foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, on Sunday, hours after it was announced that the US had resumed almost all of its suspended aid to Egypt.
The talks were the highest-level meeting Sisi has had with any US official since his election, and signalled an attempt by Washington to rebuild a relationship that has frayed since the Egyptian president ousted his predecessor Mohamed Morsi last July.The talks were the highest-level meeting Sisi has had with any US official since his election, and signalled an attempt by Washington to rebuild a relationship that has frayed since the Egyptian president ousted his predecessor Mohamed Morsi last July.
"The United States is very interested in working closely with President Sisi and his cabinet and Egypt in order to help make this transition as rapidly and smoothly as possible," Kerry said before his meeting. "There are issues of concern … but we know how to work at these.""The United States is very interested in working closely with President Sisi and his cabinet and Egypt in order to help make this transition as rapidly and smoothly as possible," Kerry said before his meeting. "There are issues of concern … but we know how to work at these."
In another olive branch to Cairo, Kerry also reiterated that a delivery of several attack helicopters – delayed by the US last year, in protest against Egyptian human rights abuses – would go-ahead. In another olive branch to Cairo, Kerry also reiterated that a delivery of several attack helicopters – delayed by the US last year, in protest against Egyptian human rights abuses – would go ahead.
"The Apaches will come, and they'll come very, very soon," the US secretary of state said before his departure in a second press briefing in which he also called on Sunni-led governments across the Middle East not to fund militants waging an insurgency in northern and western Iraq. "The Apaches will come, and they'll come very, very soon," the US secretary of state said in a press briefing before his departure in which he also called on Sunni-led governments across the Middle East not to fund militants waging an insurgency in northern and western Iraq.
Kerry's announcement followed an earlier admission by state department officials that all but $70m (£41m)of a total $650m aid package to Egypt had been released. "We are doing what we can to provide assistance to Egypt," one official told reporters before landing in Cairo.Kerry's announcement followed an earlier admission by state department officials that all but $70m (£41m)of a total $650m aid package to Egypt had been released. "We are doing what we can to provide assistance to Egypt," one official told reporters before landing in Cairo.
Relations between Egypt and the US became strained during the past year after Cairo accused Washington of siding with Morsi, Egypt's ousted Islamist president, and Washington criticised Egypt's deteriorating human rights record. In a perceived slight to the US, Egypt developed closer ties with Russia last autumn, while the Obama administration froze millions of dollars of military and economic aid to Cairo. Relations between Egypt and the US became strained during the past year after Cairo accused Washington of siding with Morsi, and Washington criticised Egypt's deteriorating human rights record. In a perceived slight to the US, Egypt developed closer ties with Russia last autumn, while the Obama administration froze millions of dollars of military and economic aid to Cairo.
But while Kerry still described Egypt as being at a "critical moment of transition", and expressed concern on Sunday about the continued incarceration of journalists, three of whom will discover their fate in court on Monday, his visit implied an acceptance of Egypt's new order. The US, he said, "is committed to seeing Egypt succeed and the people of Egypt to succeed". While Kerry on Sunday described Egypt as being at a "critical moment of transition" and expressed concern about the continued incarceration of journalists, three of whom will discover their fate in court on Monday, his visit implied an acceptance of Egypt's new order. The US, he said, "is committed to seeing Egypt succeed and the people of Egypt to succeed".
Kerry's aides earlier expressed wariness of Egypt's rights record, but also told reporters that there were hints of an improvement. One said: "We don't want to overstate it, but [there are] a few flickering signs of positive movement: the release of an al-Jazeera journalist early this week, Abdullah Shami; beginning steps to address sexual harassment and sexual violence against women; as well as the president's call in his first cabinet meeting for the revision of human rights law in Egypt."Kerry's aides earlier expressed wariness of Egypt's rights record, but also told reporters that there were hints of an improvement. One said: "We don't want to overstate it, but [there are] a few flickering signs of positive movement: the release of an al-Jazeera journalist early this week, Abdullah Shami; beginning steps to address sexual harassment and sexual violence against women; as well as the president's call in his first cabinet meeting for the revision of human rights law in Egypt."
But campaigners warn that Egypt's human rights abuses show no sign of abating. A further 183 Egyptians were sentenced to death on Saturday in a mass trial that observers said lacked due process; at least 16,000 political prisoners have been arrested since last July; and on Sunday the Guardian reported the existence of a secret army prison into which hundreds have been disappeared and tortured.But campaigners warn that Egypt's human rights abuses show no sign of abating. A further 183 Egyptians were sentenced to death on Saturday in a mass trial that observers said lacked due process; at least 16,000 political prisoners have been arrested since last July; and on Sunday the Guardian reported the existence of a secret army prison into which hundreds have been disappeared and tortured.