CAIRO: The United States and Egypt met to discuss military affairs over the past three days in Cairo, the US Embassy in Cairo said in a press release on Wednesday. It was part of the 28th meeting of the Military Cooperation Comittee (MCC), but also comes as Egyptian activists have urged the US to end military aid to the country after the post-revolution period saw widespread violence directed at citizens using American weaponry. “The MCC is the premier annual bilateral defense forum between the US and Egypt for coordinating defense policies, identifying solutions to address shared security objectives, and consulting on a wide array of strategic issues,” the embassy said. The embassy continued to say that “the United States and Egypt remain committed to a strong bilateral relationship built on common interests and mutual respect. “Our defense relationship has served as the cornerstone of our broader strategic partnership for over thirty years, and the MCC reflects the mutual commitment to cooperation and consultation based on shared priorities. Both nations resolved to continue cooperating on a 21st century partnership that promotes regional security and stability as a means for increased prosperity and friendship,” it added. There has been meanderings in the US Congress to curtail aid to the government here in Cairo following the victory of Muslim Brotherhood member Mohamed Morsi as the country's president, but no concrete push to end aid has been made. The American delegation was led by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Derek Chollet. The Egyptian delegation was led by Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces General Sedky Sobhy.
