Bush Administration Supports Continued Assistance to Egypt

But U.S. officials voice concern over nation's slow pace of political reform
By Jane Morse
Washington File Staff Writer
17 May 2006

Washington -- Egypt is "a cornerstone" of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and deserves ongoing assistance, despite its slow pace of political reform, senior U.S. officials say.

David Welch, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, and Michael Coulter, the deputy assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, testified May 17 before the House Committee on International Relations' Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia.

"We have been concerned by the postponement of municipal polls, the extension by two years of the Emergency Law, the prosecution of whistleblower judges, and the recent violence against peaceful demonstrators and round-ups of democracy activists," Welch said in prepared testimony. (See related article.)

Welch praised Egyptian President Mohammed HosniMubarak for amending Egypt's Constitution and holding multicandidate elections in September 2005 -- the country's first. But the parliamentary polls were marred by "irregularities" and "serious incidents of violence" in the last two rounds, he said.

Egypt's prime minister, Ahmed Mohamed Nazif, however, has appointed "a strong team of reformers to steer the key economic and social portfolios," Welch said. "The new Cabinet is working to implement an ambitious economic reform agenda designed to generate jobs and attract foreign investment," he said.

"We would like to see Egypt make the same kind of progress on political reform that it has made on economic reform, where gains have been impressive," Welch said.

Both Welch and Coulter noted Egypt's critical role in helping resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Egypt actively has engaged both parties, facilitated Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in summer 2005, and effectively curbed the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, they said.

Coulter voiced U.S. gratitude for Egypt's support to U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and noted that Egypt's support of U.S. goals in Iraq has not been without cost.

"After Egypt took the bold step of being the first Arab nation to send an ambassador to Iraq, the Egyptian ambassador was assassinated in Baghdad in July 2005," Coulter said.

Coulter said U.S. military assistance is "a key element" to the U.S.-Egypt strategic partnership. In addition to helping Egypt modernize its military and fight terrorism, U.S. military assistance provides training opportunities that foster mutual understanding and strong civil-military relations, reinforce the concept of civilian rule, and contribute to Egypt's stability, he said.

Each year the United States provides Egypt with $1.3 billion in foreign military financing (FMF) and approximately $1.2 million for international military education training (IMET) programs, Coulter said.

"Our assistance to Egypt," Coulter said, "contributes positively to U.S. goals in the region."

The full text of Welch's and Coulter's prepared testimony is available on the Web site of the Committee on International Relations' Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia.