The limited talks the US started with the Muslim Brotherhood in 2006 will continue, said Mark Toner, spokesperson for the US Department of State, on Friday.
Toner told the press that the US wants to get a clear picture of the political scene in Egypt, and US embassy officials in Egypt are allowed to speak to Brotherhood members.
The Brotherhood is still developing and it is most important that it shows a commitment to democratic principles, he said, citing statements made by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.
Toner said that the US is communicating, though intermittently, with the Brotherhood, and will continue to in order to understand Egyptian politics in the current absence of a parliament. Egypt “is going through a process of democratic transformation, which requires us to communicate with all parties to this process, including the Brotherhood.”
In an interview with Al-Hayat TV, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns said the US will not try to impose a particular orientation on Egyptian political life or interfere in its political decision making process, emphasizing that Egyptians are capable of leading the process of democratic transformation.
Burns added that the US supports the establishment of a democracy based on equality, and does not support certain groups, parties or political candidates.
He said that the US only seeks to benefit Egyptians with its experience through financing civil society. Burns further added that the US administration has made statements on the developments in Egypt and the Arab world out of a belief that the success of the democratic process in Egypt is important and will benefit the entire Arab region.
Meanwhile, former Israeli Ambassador to Egypt Zvi Mazel warned that Clinton’s communication with the Brotherhood will grant them international legitimacy. In statements to the Los Angeles Times, Mazel described the Brotherhood as a “dangerous” group whose members pretend to be democratic but retain a radical ideology. He added that Israel should now be more worried about the Brotherhood.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
