U.S. President Barack Obama's call for opening a new page in the relations between Washington and the Islamic world was evident in the American embassy in Cairo the day before yesterday, when it celebrated the 233rd anniversary of the independence of the United States. It was also reflected in American Ambassador Margaret Scobie's speech during the ceremony that was described as being ‘different' in light of a new beginning. The ceremony was attended by stars of politics, art and society, including the ministers of solidarity, international cooperation and the environment, artists Fifi Abdo, Dina and Nabila Ebeid, some former politicians, most notably Kamal el-Ganzouri and Ahmed Maher, in addition to a number of Sufi order sheikhs. While Scobie was busy receiving congratulations and taking pictures with the guests who stood in a long queue, she did not forget to play with her dogs that were wearing the American flag. In her speech, Scobie said: “Today, we celebrate the partnership and friendship between Egypt and the United States,” noting that the first U.S. citizen to come to Egypt was called John Layard, who came to Alexandria in 1788, as Egypt was a crossroad of all travelers - as she put it - and a place for access to modern knowledge, and the start of his explorations in Africa. Scobie cited a passage from Obama's speech at Cairo University, in which he said: “I have come to Cairo, seeking to open a new page between the United States and Muslims around the world, a page that is based on common interests and mutual respect, and based on the fact that America and Islam are not separate and should not compete, but should rather meet and share common principles, the principles of justice and progress, tolerance and dignity of all human beings.”
For his part, Dr. Mustafa el-Fiqi, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the People's Assembly, said the ceremony was ‘different' because it came under a new U.S. administration that has ended the problems of the former U.S. President George W. Bush's administration.
