Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced American support for Egypt’s march toward democracy and promised economic aid to help create jobs, in the first visit by a high-ranking American official since President Hosni Mubarak’s regime fell last month.
“This moment of history belongs to you. This is your achievement,” she said. “The U.S. and President [Barack] Obama and I will stand with you as you make this journey.”
“In January, before the protests began, I warned that the region’s foundations were sinking in the sand. But today, because of the Egyptian people, Egypt is rising,” she said.
She also “applauded” news that the interim government had disbanded the despised state security apparatus, a locus of anger and resentment for many Egyptians.
Her remarks came after a meeting with the new Egyptian foreign minister, Nabil al-Araby, and come just days before Egyptians will vote in a controversial referendum aimed at amending the current constitution.
The reforms, which would open elections to multiple parties and limit presidential terms, among other changes, have created a political rift between established political forces and newcomers unleashed by the popular uprising. The Muslim Brotherhood and the former ruling party are in favor of the proposed changes, which would pave the way for quicker elections. Reform-minded politicians, including Mohammed ElBaradei, have called for a no vote on the referendum, slated for Saturday. Ms. Clinton said at a news conference Tuesday evening that the U.S. “supports the steps being taken to lay the groundwork for free and fair elections,” but refused to wade into the debate over the referendum.
“Obviously it’s up to the Egyptian people to vote yes or no. We don’t have an opinion, but we have a clear message of support.”
Mr. al-Araby, a former Egyptian ambassador to the United Nations who pressed for Mr. Mubarak’s removal, defended the proposed changes Tuesday. He said they were designed to “improve the constitution” since the old one “wasn’t working very well.”
Ms. Clinton also announced an economic-aid package meant to jump-start foreign investment in Egypt and the Middle East and create jobs, especially in small businesses. The proposed package includes a $60 million plan to boost investment, using Egypt’s existing economic-support funds.
The package would also include $2 billion from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to help finance small businesses throughout the region, with an estimated $600 million earmarked for Egypt.
Ms. Clinton met later Tuesday with democracy activists and other human-rights advocates, who she said would be a crucial part of Egyptian democracy. On Wednesday, she will meet with Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and defense chief Mohamed Tantawi, before closing her visit with a meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa. She will then fly to Tunisia to meet with government officials there.
The democracy advocates who met with Ms. Clinton expressed concern that the pace of elections is moving too fast in Egypt for newly formed groups, and that it would benefit groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. A senior American official said after the meeting that holding three elections in a few months is “daunting.…No question, this is very fast.”
He added that there were some “frustrations with the history of the relationship” between Egypt and the U.S., both in terms of supporting the Mubarak regime and in not responding aggressively to the protests in January.