US EASES AID CONDITIONS

THE US will make only a small portion of military aid to Egypt conditional on human rights, the US State Department said this week, an amount well below the level required by US law. The law stipulates that $300 million a year in security assistance be disbursed only if Cairo meets a number of human rights criteria. However, the US will make available $300m for border security, non-proliferation and counterterrorism. $170m will be released without conditions, and $130m if Egypt addresses human rights issues. |