Egypt, France airdrop aid to Gaza amid growing humanitarian crisis, global criticism of Israel    Supply minister discusses strengthening cooperation with ITFC    Egypt launches initiative with traders, manufacturers to reduce prices of essential goods    SCZONE chief discusses strengthening maritime, logistics cooperation with Panama    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Egypt reviews health insurance funding mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability    Gaza on verge of famine as war escalates, ceasefire talks stall    Gaza crisis, trade on agenda as Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland    Egyptian president follows up on initiatives to counter extremist thought    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US finds reassurance in Egypt's peaceful voting
Published in Youm7 on 30 - 11 - 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration offered tempered praise this week as millions of Egyptians cast ballots in an election likely to be the country's freest and fairest ever — a vote the U.S. insisted go forward despite objections by pro-democracy street protesters.
The administration wanted timely elections even though they risked leaving the U.S. with less influence and fewer friends in the Middle East.
After two days of largely peaceful voting marked by high turnouts, U.S. spokesmen termed Egypt's first vote since longtime leader Hosni Mubarak's ouster a success. They focused on the openness of the parliamentary election and not on the Islamic hardliners who may end up the big winners — or what that might mean for U.S. policy or U.S. ally Israel.
"As much as it's important to protest in Tahrir Square, the real future — the democratic future — of Egypt will be decided in the ballot box," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. "The Egyptian people are now exercising their democratic right in a peaceful fashion that will lead to real democratic change in the long term for Egypt. That's a very good thing."
After a week when U.S. officials watched warily as Egypt suffered a new wave of unrest and violence, the balloting on Monday and Tuesday provided the administration with renewed confidence that the country is on a path that, however treacherous, should lead to a more democratic future. Fears that protests and harsh police action would spill over into the election, or that Egypt's military rulers would interfere with voters, proved unfounded.
The result seemed to validate weeks of active diplomacy by the Obama administration to press Egypt'sinterim military leadership to stick to its proposed timeline for parliamentary and presidential elections. The U.S. hasn't gotten all it wanted, including a key demand of the demonstrators that Egypt's Mubarak-era emergency restrictions on civil liberties be lifted. Washington nonetheless stuck to a strategy of backing the Egyptian generals' stewardship over the transition — despite misgivings over rough treatment of protesters — and the smooth voting suggests the strategy paid off.
"Those two characterizations — high turnout and no violence — I think speak to the success" of the vote, Toner said. He complimented the military council on naming a new prime minister and accelerating to no later than June 30 its handover of power to an elected president and civilian government. "All these are the elements of a democratic transition that we think is positive."
Getting there has been difficult, and the U.S. has resorted to adding what weight it carries with the generals to the clamor of the demonstrators: It sharply stepped up its criticism of the council last week amid a crackdown by security forces that killed more than 40 people over nine days. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton declared this month that "if, over time, the most powerful political force in Egypt remains a roomful of unelected officials, they will have planted the seeds for future unrest."
While many Egyptians fear the generals will continue to dominate the government even after the handover, U.S. concern also centers on whether one of its most important Middle East allies will turn down a more Islamic path. The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists are expected to be the biggest winners, seizing a plurality and possibly a majority of parliament when all the voting is finished next year.
President Barack Obama's top officials have made it clear that the U.S. is ready to work with whichever parties emerge victorious. But they also acknowledge that Egypt's immediate support for such American-led efforts as isolating Iran and promoting Arab-Israeli peace may not be a given.
U.S. credibility is low among some of the Islamic parties because of America's record of three decades of support for former dictator Mubarak, who erected a hated police state while collecting billions of dollars in U.S. aid.
"The democratic process is what's important. Principles matter to this president, not parties," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. "Our standards have to do with respect for human rights, respect for the democratic process, denunciation of violence, and inclusion of and respect for minorities in the process."
Carney also said it was unfair to assume that religious-affiliated parties cannot function democratically.
"Before we judge the disposition of a government, or a parliament that's just beginning to take shape through elections that have started today," Carney said, "I think we need to let the process run its course, continue to espouse our firm support for democratic principles and for civilian control of the government, and then judge the outcome by the actions of those who prevail."
Toner said if the Muslim Brotherhood commits to the democratic process, "we'll welcome them as a part of the political process."
Analysts warned that it was still too early to judge Egypt's electoral process a success-in-waiting. Second-round parliamentary voting awaits, a new constitution must be drafted, and then a presidential election will be held.
"This is the electoral equivalent of pulling an all-nighter," said Jon Alterman, Middle East program director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. But he described it as the best possible process for the United States, which lacks good options.
"The most important thing," Alterman said, "is there is a genuine process that we can influence in the longer term."


Clic here to read the story from its source.