CAIRO: Egypt Foreign Minister accused the United States of imposing its "will" on its Arab ally, as the White House warned that Cairo had failed to even reach a "minimum threshold" for reform. Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit also warned that the army would intervene to protect the country if the protests against President Hosni Mubarak escalated. He complained at Washington's repeated public calls for the overturning of an Egyptian emergency law renewed last year. US Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the demands of the Egyptian opposition can be met through "meaningful negotiations" with the Mubarak government. Biden made his comments in a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Omar Suleiman, according to a White House statement. Biden listed steps the US wants Suleiman to take, including ending detention and harassment of journalists and activists; immediately rescinding emergency laws that give broad powers to security forces; and including more opposition members in negotiations on a timetable and road to transition. Although President Barack Obama called last week for a transition to begin "now," the US appears increasingly reluctant to push Egypt's government too far, too fast. Suleiman then made a new gesture, declaring a panel of judges and scholars to recommend constitutional changes within a month.On the same day Egypt's foreign minister said he was furious at what he described as "confusing" messages from the United States in the early days of Egypt's protests. In an interview Tuesday with "PBS NewsHour," Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the Obama administration's message is now "much better" because he believes it understands that abrupt change will lead to chaos. The next day Aboul Gheit accused the United States of imposing its "will" on Egypt. "How can you ask me to sort of disband that emergency law while I'm in difficulty? Give me time, allow me to have control to stabilize the nation, to stabilize the state," the FM said. Later that day President Obama called key ally King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, officials said. Abdullah told Obama that his country would prop up Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak if the United States withdrew its $1.5 billion aid program and told Obama not to humiliate Mubarak. Both oil powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Kuwait joined the King of Jordan in cautioning the US that a hasty departure by Mubarak could undermine US interests. –Agencies
