Cooperation, democracy focus in Day 2 of Clinton's Egypt visit
Author: Nehal El-Sherif
Cairo (dpa) - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton discussed cooperation and democratic transition with the head of Egypt's military council Hussein Tantawi on Sunday.
Her meeting with Tantawi came one day after she said her country strongly supported Egypt's democratic transition and economic development.
Clinton also met with civil society representatives and entrepreneurs during her visit to Cairo. She told the meeting that she came to Cairo to express a clear message that international human rights are for all people and that democracy is one of the most important of these rights.
She said that the United States supports democracy, but that democracy is more than just elections. It means that the majority protects the rights of the minority.
Clinton added that the United States is committed to supporting the rights of all Egyptians, both men and women, Muslims and Christians.
Several Christian figures refused to attend the meeting with Clinton to protest what they call American interference in Egypt's internal policies.
The al-Ahram newspaper reported that representatives of the Coptic Church and other figures said they objected to the United States' support to certain political groupings.
Scores of activists Saturday held protests outside the presidential palace and the US embassy in central Cairo to protest Washington's foreign policy and what they described as the "US-Islamist alliance."
Following her Sunday meetings in Cairo, Clinton went to the northern city of Alexandria to attend the inauguration of the US consulate there.
On Saturday, Clinton became the first top Western official to visit President Mohammed Morsi since he took office late last month as the country's first ever freely elected civilian president.
The US has been a long-time ally of Egypt, with 1.5 billion dollars of aid given annually to Cairo, most of which goes to the military.
Her visit comes as Morsi is caught in a power struggle with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which ruled the country for around 16 months following the ouster of Hosny Mubarak last year.
"I have come to Cairo to reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Egyptian people and their democratic transition," Clinton said on Saturday.
She is scheduled to head to Israel on Sunday evening, the last leg of a 12-day tour abroad.
Washington has, over the past days, sent "calming" messages to Israel that its peace with Egypt faces no immediate threat, Israel Radio reported Sunday.
During her meetings in Cairo, Clinton said she emphasized the importance of upholding international agreements.
Israel has watched the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt with concern, fearing it could threaten the peace upheld by Mubarak.
In her talks with Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and other senior officials, Clinton is expected to discuss the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process as well as Iran's nuclear programme.
