The US State Department said the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) deserves praise for responding to the democratic aspirations of the Egyptian people and taking steps to meet many of the people's urgent demands. This position was evident in the testimony of Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner before the Democracy and Human Rights Bureau and that of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Tamara Wittes before a subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress. Posner and Wittes cited the SCAF's oversight of the initial stage of constitutional amendments, which passed by a resounding majority in the March referendum. The amendments paved the way for holding democratic elections and abolishing the emergency law, they said. The military council also made huge improvements to the political parties law and took a number of preliminary steps toward restructuring state security. The SCAF also promised to lift the emergency law before holding free, fair, and democratic elections and recognized independent labor unions. In an effort to keep the peace, the armed forces also rebuilt a church in the village of Sol, Atfeeh that vandals destroyed in March. US State Department officials welcomed the council's pledge on 14 April to revisit the cases of some detainees and urged Washington to continue to encourage the council to deliver on its promise. Posner and Wittes said stern measures must be taken against sectarian violence, legal discrimination against religious minorities and the limited participation of women in all aspects of the transitional process. The two officials said chronic economic difficulties contributed to fueling the revolution, and recent unrest has led to further strain on the economy, which, along with high unemployment rates, will affect the success of the transition to democracy. They urged the US to meet with international partners and financial institutions to discuss aiding Egypt's economic recovery. The officials pointed out that Washington provided $165 million to common funds to meet the immediate needs of economic revitalization and democracy programs. Washington has also looked into ways to increase these contributions by working with Congress to increase opportunities for providing capital to the private sector, especially small and medium enterprises, and to benefit from the Eastern European experience of establishing a successful fund to finance Egyptian business institutions. The officials also asserted that the US is insistent on pursuing its basic interests in the region and defending the security of its allies. The US is also keen on putting a stop to Iran's illegitimate activities and efforts to destabilize the region, clearly expressing its interest in achieving comprehensive peace between Israel and its neighbors, and combating terrorism and the ideologies of fundamentalist movements, they said. Translated from the Arabic Edition
