Obama Moves to Resume Some U.S. Military Aid to Egypt
By David Lerman Apr 23, 2014 12:00 AM ET
The U.S. is resuming some of the military aid to Egypt it halted last year, including delivery of 10 helicopters, after certifying that the country is abiding by its peace treaty with Israel and combating terrorism.
Secretary of State John Kerry informed his Egyptian counterpart of the decision to certify Egypt yesterday, said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. While reaffirming Egypt’s strategic ties with the U.S., Kerry stopped short of verifying to American lawmakers that Egypt is moving toward democracy following the ouster of its president last year.
“He is certifying to Congress that Egypt is sustaining the strategic relationship with the United States,” Psaki said in a statement. “He urged Egypt to follow through on its commitment to transition to democracy -– including by conducting free, fair, and transparent elections.”
The U.S. suspended some military aid to Egypt after democratically elected President Mohamed Mursi was deposed in July. Kerry is scheduled to meet today in Washington with Egypt’s intelligence chief, Mohamed Farid El-Tohamy, and his announcement came a month before the Arab world’s most-populous country holds presidential elections.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-23/obama-moves-to-resume-some-u-s-military-aid-to-egypt.html