Secretary Kerry Underscores U.S. Support for the Egyptian People

By Patricia Kabra
Patricia Kabra serves as Counselor for Press and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

On Saturday, March 2, Secretary of State John Kerry departed Turkey for Egypt, where this past weekend he met with representatives across the spectrum of Egyptian political and civil society -- as well as our employees at the U.S. Embassy. The Secretary's candor in all of his meetings was refreshing for politicians and businessmen alike. In his meetings, Secretary Kerry conveyed a simple but serious message: "The brave Egyptians who stood vigil in Tahrir Square did not risk their lives to see that opportunity for a brighter future squandered. The Egyptian people must come together to address their economic challenge."

In light of Egypt's urgent needs and President Morsy's assurance that he plans to complete the IMF process, Secretary Kerry announced that the United States will now provide the first $190 million of our pledged $450 million in budget support funds in an effort to help the Egyptian people at this difficult time. The United States is also committed to providing direct support to key engines of democratic change in Egypt, including Egypt's entrepreneurs and its young people. To that end, Secretary Kerry announced the launch of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund and that the United States will fund a higher education initiative to help students, especially women, earn undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and business.

The Secretary's visit also proved to be a great morale boost to the embassy employees who lined up for photos and handshakes. You can follow the Secretary's travel to Europe and the Middle East on www.state.gov.

EGYPT

Joint Statement From Secretary of State John Kerry With Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr

FOREIGN MINISTER AMR: 

"Good evening. I will be speaking in Arabic. (Via interpreter.) Today we welcome His Excellency, the Secretary of State of the United States of America, a very dear friend of ours. This is the first time we meet. In the past, we met with him of course as a chairman of the – with your foreign relations of the American Senate.

Today we appreciate Secretary Kerry as a friend for Egypt, and we are very happy to welcome him here, and we are actually very optimistic about his ability to push matters further. The visit of His Excellency, Secretary Kerry, the Secretary of State for the United States comes at a very important time after the Revolution of the 25th of January in Egypt. It comes as the first visitor to Egypt of – first Secretary of State visit after the election of a civil president that is elected through fair elections in Egypt.

During his meetings here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we will discuss the relationships between the United States and Egypt. It is of course, as you know, a very strategic relationship. The relationship between the United States and Egypt is a strategic relationship, and it is also a multidimensional relationship that does not serve only the interests of the two states, but the interests of the whole region. It is a relationship that is based on equality and also mutual respect.

Of course, we expect from friends and this particularly from the United States as a strategic partner of Egypt to stand before Egypt during this very (inaudible) period and economic arena. Of course, as you know, there are various other issues that will be discussed of the region. There are a lot of changes happening in the Middle East region. There is the Palestinian issue, which is really the first issue for Egypt and for the Arab countries, and the situation in Syria as well.

Of course, one of the important subjects is to rid the Middle East area from nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in general, and this, of course, the United States will have a great role in this issue. I will not take any more time, because we have a very heavy schedule. We have a lot of discussion, and we are also late, and it pleases me now to give the podium to His Excellency, the Secretary of State."

SECRETARY KERRY: 

"Thank you very much. Shokran. Thank you very much, Mr. Foreign Minister. It’s a great pleasure for me to be back here in Egypt. And I thank you and President Morsy and the Egyptian people for a generous welcome. Thank you.

As you know, I’ve been to Egypt many times over the course of some 29 years. And I had the privilege of being here only a few weeks after the events in January in Tahrir Square. Then I came back with Senator McCain when we tried to help with some of the economic issues shortly thereafter. And each time that I’ve come here, I’ve tried to make it clear, and I make it particularly clear now on behalf of President Obama and the American people that we come here as friends for the Egyptian people, not for one government or one person or one party or ideology, but for the Egyptian people.

The Foreign Minister and I have just had a very constructive first meeting in which we have discussed a number of the issues of importance: Syria, the Mid-East peace process, and we agreed to continue those discussions over dinner and other topics. And we will certainly discuss in some depth how the United States can continue to help the Egyptian people achieve their aspirations for democracy and for opportunity. As your long-time friends and partners, the American people support Egypt’s political and economic success and want to help work for that success.

And I emphasize again as strongly as I can, we’re not here to interfere. I’m here to listen. We’re not here to urge anybody to take one particular action or another. Though we have a point of view, and certainly I will express that. But what we support is democracy and the people and the nation of Egypt. And we look forward to working with listening to all of the Egyptian people as we work towards their path, what they choose to do to move forward to economic strength, to a vibrant democracy, and to a regional peace and security.

The Middle East What Next? 2013 Camden Conference Part 1

26th Camden Conference
by Doug Mills
World and National News Editor
RCN America Network

As a writer I am always happy When I cover a convention or meeting with high expectations and those expectations are met. Then there is that rare instance when those high expectations are not only met but are blown away! Such was the case for the Camden Conference this past week. So often the hype does not match the reality.

The 26^th Camden Conference included an amazing array of speakers who were the best in their field from Egypt, Israel, Iran and many others. If you think these were long dry speeches you should have been there when R. Nicholas Burns one of our former top diplomats in the State Department sat down on the same stage with Seyed Hossein Mousavian Iran’s former diplomat in charge of nuclear negotiations with Europe you would be dead wrong, the fireworks had everyone in the auditorium on the edge of their seats. But I am getting ahead of myself.

As a writer I am always happy When I cover a convention or meeting with high expectations and those expectations are met. Then there is that rare instance when those high expectations are not only met but are blown away! Such was the case for the Camden Conference this past week. So often the hype does not match the reality.

The topic for the 26th Annual Camden Conference, “The Middle East - What Next?”. The keynote address was presented by Robin Wright. Robin Wright is a journalist, author, and foreign policy analyst. She has reported from more than 140 countries on six continents for the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Sunday Times of London, CBS News, and the Christian Science Monitor. She won the National Magazine Award for The New Yorker. She has also written for The Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and many others. Wright has been a foreign correspondent in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and spent several years as a roving correspondent in Asia and Latin America. She most recently covered U.S. foreign policy for the Washington Post. Besides a long career in journalism, Wright has been a fellow at the Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Yale, Duke, Stanford, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Southern California. She received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Wright has held a joint appointment as a United States Institute of Peace Senior Fellow and Wilson Center Distinguished Scholar during which she produced three books: The Iran Primer: Power, Politics, and U.S. Policy (2010), Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World (2011), and The Islamists Are Coming: Who They Really Are(2012).

Rock The Casbah: What Next In The Middle East?

It had been two years since the Arab Spring movement. What is the state of the Middle East today? Are things better or worse? Robin gave us 5 Positives of Change in the Middle East.

1. Music: Music has helped to fuel change especially in the rap community. Music very often plays a part in social change.
2. New Roll Models: Young people are being presented new positive roll models to follow.
3. New Muslim Comedians: A new crop of Muslim comedians have emerged providing comic relief and pointing out some of the more negative aspects of jehadism.
4. New Muslim Theater: Many new theater productions are being produced teaching the positive side of the Muslim religion.
5. Women are on the front lines of the change that is taking place.

However after two years there is still very much to be concerned about.

1. 120,000,000 are now struggling to gain rights. The old order is gone and the new order has not taken shape. It is “the law of the jungle” in the streets of the Middle East.
2. Every one of these countries is worse off economically today than it was two years ago.
3. The proliferation of democracy. This new freedom has caused the rise of hundreds of political parties, all with different priorities.
4. The proliferation of Islamist ideas. Many new Islamist groups have emerged and with the old line groups are all seeking to foll the vacuum left by the Arab Spring Movement.
5. Security of the region has been affected by the rise of new militant groups.
6. Tribes are reemerging as a defining forge in society.
7. Demographics, government leaders are older, the population is young and the economy is down.
8. Corruption is rampant.
9. Women are not fairing well and are often targeted for violence.
10. The map of the Middle East could change drasticly as countries break up into tribal factions.

Bad news? Scarey news? Robin reminded us how long after the American Revolution it was till all people in this country were truly free. “Change takes time.”

Reaction to Egypt's November 22 Decisions

RCN America Network
By Doug Mills
In a statement released yesterday the US Stated Department states, "The decisions and declarations announced on November 22 raise concerns for many Egyptians and for the international community. One of the aspirations of the revolution was to ensure that power would not be overly concentrated in the hands of any one person or institution. The current constitutional vacuum in Egypt can only be resolved by the adoption of a constitution that includes checks and balances, and respects fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and the rule of law consistent with Egypt's international commitments. We call for calm and encourage all parties to work together and call for all Egyptians to resolve their differences over these important issues peacefully and through democratic dialogue."

President's Call with President Morsi of Egypt

Following the dinner tonight, President Obama called President Morsi of Egypt. The two leaders discussed ways to de-escalate the situation in Gaza, and President Obama underscored the necessity of Hamas ending rocket fire into Israel. President Obama also offered condolences for the terrible loss of life in the recent train accident in Egypt. President Obama then called Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, and received an update on the situation in Gaza and Israel. In both calls, President Obama expressed regret for the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives, and agreed to stay in close touch with both leaders.