CAIRO - The US administration is following the developments in Egypt closely and is quite enthusiastic about supporting the transition process that the country lives and co-operate with whatever government results from it, US official said. “I'm here to get a firsthand impression on the events in Egypt,” US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jake Walles said at a press briefing held in the American Embassy in Cairo. “We have regarded with respect the developments taking place in Egypt and are willing to support the democratic transition process and the Egyptian people.” Walles, whose work covers Near East Asian Affairs, had a series of meetings in his two-day visit with Egyptian military and ministerial officials, political and human right activists, businessmen and civil society representatives. Bearing in mind the new interim Government Cabinet, Walles, who met a number of officials in the Egyptian Foreign Ministry ��" not the minister himself, insisted that the Egyptian-US ties have been and will always be strong. “I'm also here to see how the American administration and the rest of the world can help supporting Egyptians,” he told The Egyptian Gazette, adding that the key to a democratic transition were free and fair elections, with which the US was willing to help. “Organising elections will be challenging, but it's the only way to democracy,” he added. The support that the US diplomat expects is still subject to discussions; however, it will mostly range from international monitoring to the elections, up to public awareness campaigns and political awareness ones. Walles, who leaves this morning, didn't give a clear-cut reply about the stance of the US administration from the Muslim Brotherhood and their political activism in the moment. Nonetheless, he stressed that US administration “respects the choice of Egyptian people”. “We respect Egypt's democracy and will support Egyptian people and the transition process and we are looking forward to work with the Government which results from this process.”
