Cairo: Two days after Egypt's November 28 legislative elections, the United States has expressed disappointment over the conduct of the elections, citing reports of irregularities, intimidation by security forces, restriction of civil rights, and the lack of international monitors. National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer commended Egyptians who participated in the process as voters, candidates and election monitors, but said in a November 30 statement that the United States “is disappointed with the conduct during and leading up to” the vote. “While we are continuing to assess reports from a variety of sources, the numerous reported irregularities at the polls, the lack of international monitors and the many problems encountered by domestic monitors, and the restrictions on the basic freedoms of association, speech and press in the run-up to the elections are worrying,” Hammer said. He said the Obama administration wants to continue to work with Egyptian authorities and civil society groups to help their country “achieve its political, social and economic aspirations consistent with international standards.” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Egyptian voters “will only have full confidence in their elections when the government is able to address existing flaws, and ensure full and transparent access by independent civil-society monitors and candidate representatives to all phases of the electoral process.” In a November 29 statement, Crowley expressed concern over reports from domestic civil-society monitors, candidate representatives and Egyptian government officials on the conduct of the election. “We are disappointed by reports in the pre-election period of disruption of campaign activities of opposition candidates and arrests of their supporters, as well as denial of access to the media for some opposition voices. We are also dismayed by reports of election-day interference and intimidation by security forces,” Crowley said. The irregularities “call into question the fairness and transparency of the process,” he said, adding that allowing international observers to monitor and freely report on the elections, as they do in many other countries around the world, “is very important in building public confidence in a fair and open election.” BM
