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US lifting aid freeze to Egypt
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) April 23, 2014


Egypt FM heads to US as helicopter delivery approved
Cairo (AFP) April 23, 2014 - Egypt's foreign minister Nabil Fahmy was travelling to the United States on Wednesday, his ministry said, a day after Washington decided to provide Cairo with 10 Apache military helicopters.

Washington had imposed a temporary freeze on the delivery of major weapons to Egypt, including the Apaches, following the military-installed authorities' brutal crackdown on supporters of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi since his ouster last July.

Fahmy is expected to meet officials in Washington and UN chief Ban Ki-moon during his visit. He is also due to meet representatives of think tanks and will speak at a seminar in San Francisco, the ministry said, without specifying how long the trip will last.

US officials said on Tuesday Washington will provide Cairo with the 10 Apache aircraft to strengthen Egypt's counter-terrorism operations in the restive Sinai Peninsula where it is fighting a growing militancy.

But a Pentagon spokesman said on Wednesday the delivery of other weapons, including F-16 fighter jets, would remain temporarily suspended.

"Because we're not yet able to certify that Egypt is taking the proper steps to support a democratic transition, we have withheld other equipment: F-16s not released, M1 tanks not released, Harpoon missiles not released," Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

The US has struggled to balance its concerns over human rights abuses with a strategic interest in keeping up counter-terrorism ties with Cairo and maintaining the Egypt-Israel peace accord.

Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel informed his Egyptian counterpart General Sedki Sobhy of the decision on Tuesday in a telephone call, but told the general that "we are not yet able to certify that Egypt is taking steps to support a democratic transition".

Hagel "urged the Egyptian government to demonstrate progress on a more inclusive transition that respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Egyptians".

Egypt will hold a presidential election on May 26-27, which former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win. He is riding a wave of popularity after ousting Morsi.

The military-installed authorities are engaged in a deadly crackdown against Morsi supporters that has left more than 1,400 people killed since July.

The United States is partially lifting its freeze on funding to Egypt, with plans to deliver 10 Apache helicopters and release some $650 million in military aid this year, officials said.

Despite concerns about Egypt's failure to embrace democratic reforms following the July ouster of president Mohamed Morsi, the US government will go ahead with easing its funding freeze, officials said.

After news of the Apache aircraft was released late Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed Wednesday the US administration would also seek Congress' approval to release some $650 million out of a planned $1.5 billion in aid for Egypt in the fiscal year 2014.

The funds would be primarily used for programs such as counterterrorism, border security and non-proliferation, Psaki said, including in the volatile Sinai peninsula where Egyptian authorities are trying to crack down on militant groups.

The move comes after the administration Tuesday certified to Congress, which holds the US purse strings, that Egypt was abiding by its strategic relationship with the United States, and upholding the terms of its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

However "we continue to urge Egypt to follow through on its commitment to transition to democracy," Psaki stressed, explaining why not all the budgeted aid was being released.

To signal its displeasure with Cairo's crackdown on dissent after Morsi's ouster, the Obama administration in October imposed a temporary freeze on the delivery of major weapons to Egypt, including the Apache helicopters as well as fighter jets and other hardware.

But the United States has struggled to balance its concerns over human rights abuses with a strategic interest in keeping up counter-terrorism ties with Cairo and maintaining the Egypt-Israel peace accord.

As a result, Washington chose not to cut off all aid to Egypt's military-backed government and avoided officially labeling the ouster of Morsi a coup.

Psaki said the military-installed leadership must take a more democratic path by "conducting free, fair and transparent elections, easing restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and the media."

"Those are steps that Egypt needs to take, even while we take these steps on our end," she told reporters.

- Focus on counterterrorism -

Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel informed Egyptian Defense Minister General Sedki Sobhy of President Barack Obama's decision in a phone call Tuesday, his spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.

The choppers are meant to bolster counterterrorism operations in the Sinai, he said.

"Egypt faces a significant and growing threat from extremist groups, particularly in the Sinai, and in the past several months has used Apache helicopters has a significant component of its counterterrorism operations in the Sinai," Psaki said.

"So we believe these new helicopters will help the Egyptian government counter extremists who threaten not just Egypt but Israeli security as well as the United States. And this is one element of a broader counterterrorism strategy."

Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy was traveling to the United States Wednesday and is set to meet with Kerry later this week.

But a Pentagon spokesman said on Wednesday the delivery of other weapons, including F-16 fighter jets, would remain temporarily suspended.

"Because we're not yet able to certify that Egypt is taking the proper steps to support a democratic transition, we have withheld other equipment: F-16s not released, M1 tanks not released, Harpoon missiles not released," Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

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