Washington-based Egyptian opposition groups held a press conference at the National Press Club in D.C. Wednesday under sponsorship of the National Association for Change (NAC) and the Coalition of Egyptian-American Organizations. The event followed a decision to cancel planned protests. The protest cancellation came after Saad Eddin Ibrahim, political dissident and head of Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies, signed a statement backing Gamal Mubarak's presidential bid. Amin Mahmoud, the coalition's coordinator, said the coalition is waiting on Ibrahim to arrive in Washington and explain his dubious endorsement. Al-Masry Al-Youm obtained a copy of the coalition statement, scheduled to release at the end of that conference, which urges US president Barack Obama to support stability and democracy in Egypt. According to the statement, now is an optimal chance for Obama to discuss democracy in Egypt considering Mubarak's visit to Washington is likely to be his last due to deteriorating health and increased opposition at home. The statement also called on Mubarak and Obama to achieve the seven reform demands mentioned by Mohamed ElBaradei, former chief of International Atomic Energy Agency and possible presidential contender, in his reform petition. Elliot Abrams, a key advisor on Mideast policy at the National Security Council (NSC) during the George W. Bush presidency, said Mubarak made a “big mistake” by bringing his son Gamal with him to Washington. Egyptians may interpret the inclusion of Gamal in the peace negotiations delegation as an attempt to forcibly involve him in the international political scene, Abrams told Al-Masry Al-Youm. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
