CAIRO: American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Egypt and Tunisia this week following the massive uprisings in those countries that ousted their authoritarian regimes, the US State Department said. The statement from the department said that Clinton's trip from the March 15-17, marks the highest level visit by a US official to either Egypt or Tunisia since the ouster of both Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, both longtime American allies. The State Department said Clinton “will consult with government officials and elements of civil society on recent events and the full range of regional and bilateral issues.” The statement added that the visit will follow Clinton`s attendance at the G8 meeting in Paris. Clinton would also meet members of the Libyan opposition forces who are in the midst of fighting against pro-Muammar Gaddafi forces to overthrow the regime and oust the leader. Clinton told a Congressional panel on Thursday that she will see leaders of the Egyptian and Tunisian interim governments as well as members of civic groups to offer them US support for their democratic transitions and urge them to be as inclusive as possible while protecting human rights as they move ahead. BM
