In Egypt, mounting tension between Islamists and military
| Cairo
Leading US and EU envoys were in Cairo today, attempting to find a way to reduce tensions between the Egyptian military and supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Their visit came as the country鈥檚 leading security body issued a new warning to Morsi supporters, saying their time to leave their protest camps peacefully is running out.
US Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns has used his three-day visit to meet with representatives from all sides of an heavily polarized political spectrum. He rounded off his flurry of meetings today by holding talks with General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the leader of Egypt鈥檚 armed forces. Burns has also met with a delegation from the pro-Morsi camp.
As Burns met with the country's top general, Egypt鈥檚 military-led National Defence Council turned up the temperature, telling demonstrators that they must abandon聽pro-Morsi encampments. Although 鈥渘egotiations and mediation鈥� would be given a chance, the council said in a statement, time for talk should be 鈥渄efined and limited."
Tens of thousands of the former president鈥檚 supporters have spent the last month camped across two locations in eastern Cairo, demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, who was ousted by the military and arrested on July 3.
Two early morning attempts by police and military forces to clear the camps have resulted in the deaths of around 140 Morsi supporters. Fears are now growing over the possibility of a third state-led massacre in as many weeks if the security services move in again.
US role?
Many suspect that Burns鈥� visit has been timed to coincide with the mounting threat to the sit-ins. Last week, Egypt鈥檚 interim cabinet mandated the nation鈥檚 police force to disperse the camps and on Thursday the interior ministry offered 鈥渟afe passage and protection鈥� to those who leave of their own accord.
In recent days, the international diplomatic community has publicly aligned its efforts to bring a peaceful end to Egypt鈥檚 crisis. Burns is leading the diplomatic push, along with European Union envoy Bernardino Leon. The United Arab Emirates, which is offering significant financial support to the new government, has also dispatched foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed to take part in the talks.
Seeking to avert a new crisis, Gen. Sisi met with senior Islamist leaders on Friday night in the first official meeting of its kind.
鈥淚t was a meeting, not to strike a deal, but to send a message," said Major Ahmed Shabaan, a spokesman for the Egyptian Armed Forces. 鈥淭here must be no violence from the protesters belonging to Morsi. Sisi promised that no violence would be used against them on the condition that they did not [act] violently.鈥�
But聽Salafist preacher Mohamed Hassan, who attended the meeting, has said the promise not to disperse pro-Morsi sit-ins forcibly came without preconditions.
The meeting took place hours after US Secretary of State John Kerry offered America鈥檚 strongest support to date for the military takeover that ousted Morsi from power, one month ago today.
"The military was asked to intervene by millions and millions of people, all of whom were afraid of a descent into chaos, into violence," Kerry told GEO TV in Pakistan. "And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment - so far."
No coup?
Kerry鈥檚 comments represented the strongest signal yet that the Obama administration supports the takeover and will not call it a coup. Under US law, this would require America to halt an annual aid package of $1.5 billion.
The Obama administration has shown little desire to tinker with the flow of aid, much of which goes to the Egyptian military. The apparent limit of US condemnation for the military鈥檚 actions came late last month when the delivery of four American-made F-16 fighter jets was postponed.
Although this rap on the wrist was seen as largely symbolic, it still drew criticism from Egypt's top brass. In an published yesterday, General Sisi dismissed the move, saying it was 鈥渘ot the way to deal with a patriotic military."
鈥淵ou left the Egyptians. You turned your back on the Egyptians, and they won鈥檛 forget that,鈥� he said, addressing the US government. 鈥淣ow you want to continue turning your backs on Egyptians?鈥�
As Burn鈥檚 visit to Cairo suggests, America is still keen to flex its shrinking muscles and exert influence where it can. But meanwhile, the crackdown on Egypt鈥檚 former leaders continues apace. A Cairo appeals court today set a date for the trail of leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Six of the movement鈥檚 stalwarts, including Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and his deputy Khairat El-Shater, will stand trial on August 25, charged with inciting violent protests.
