US backs Egypt in fight against terrorism: Rex
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also stressed the need for free and fair elections in all countries months ahead of a March presidential vote in Egypt
CAIRO: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday Washington stood by Egypt in its fight against extremist militants as he began a Middle East tour at a time of increasingly complex local and proxy conflicts.
Tillerson also stressed the need for free and fair elections in all countries months ahead of a March presidential vote in Egypt, but he withheld direct comment on an alleged crackdown on opponents of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.
The United States has become more embroiled, diplomatically and militarily, in regional conflicts since President Donald Trump took office more than a year ago.
It stepped up support for Kurdish-led forces in Syria before its NATO ally Turkey began a military operation against them last month, and has sided firmly with Israel in recognising Jerusalem as its capital, angering Palestinians and drawing rebuke from Arab leaders. Tillerson and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry delivered a message on Monday that relations remained strong with one of the key US Arab allies.
“We agreed we would continue our close cooperation on counterterrorism measures,” Tillerson said.
Support Egypt
“The Egyptian people should be confident that the US commitment in continuing to support Egypt in its fight against terrorism and bringing security for the Egyptian people is steadfast and will continue.”
Egypt last week launched a large military operation against militants, focused on defeating IS in the Sinai peninsula.
Tillerson arrived in Egypt, one of the main recipients of Washington’s foreign aid, at the start of a regional tour amid heightened tension between Israel, Syria and Damascus’s ally Iran after an Is- raeli F-16 aircraft was shot down crashing in northern Israel.
Shoukry said the talks focused on boosting ties between the two countries, and that they had agreed to hold strategic dialogue talks at the level of foreign ministers in the second half of this year.
“This relationship is essential to achieve stability in the region,” he said.
Tillerson also met Sisi before leaving the country. He was to attend an international conference on Iraqi reconstruction in Kuwait.
Sisi is running against a single challenger in the March 26-28 poll after more challenging opponents pulled out, some citing intimidation of supporters and other tactics designed to give the incumbent an easy win.
Sisi, a former military chief, gave the armed forces three months to clear Sinai of militants after more than 300 people were killed by gunmen at a mosque in Sinai in November. The Egyptian army has announced that at least 28 suspected militants have died in clashes since the operation began on Friday.
Egypt receives $1.3 billion annually from the United States.
Last year, Washington withdrew some financial aid to Egypt because it had failed to make progress on respecting human rights and democracy.
Asked about concerns expressed by Egypt opposition figures about the vote, Tillerson said the United States supports a credible, transparent election in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere.
“We have always advocated for free and fair elections, transparent elections not just in Egypt but in any country,” Tillerson said.