CAIRO: American Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke with Egypt's military chief and ruler of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Hussein Tantawi on Friday to discuss Egypt's political transition. The Pentagon said the defense secretary spoke with Tantawi “to discuss current events in Egypt, including the recent Supreme Constitutional Court ruling on the Egyptian parliament.” “Secretary Panetta highlighted the need to move forward expeditiously with Egypt's political transition, including conducting new legislative elections as soon as possible. Tantawi in turn “reiterated” the commitment of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces “to hold free and fair presidential elections as scheduled and to transfer power to a democratically elected government by July 1,” the statement read. It comes as activists continue to warn that Thursday's ruling that allowed the last prime minister under ousted and jailed President Hosni Mubarak, Ahmed Shafiq, to continue his campaign, and the dissolving of parliament, to be a military coup that threatens the future of Egypt. The two men “agreed on the importance of the US-Egyptian strategic relationship,” while Panetta underscored “the need to ensure a full and peaceful transition to democracy.” Panetta also said “he looks forward to working with Egypt's newly elected government to advance our mutual interests,” the Pentagon statement read.
