Burns to Meet with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood
The U.S. State Department's number two was to meet Wednesday with leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood's party after it claimed a crushing victory in landmark post-revolution parliamentary elections.
William Burns "will meet leaders of the Freedom and Justice Party at their headquarters in Cairo," FJP spokesman Ahmed Sobea told Agence France Presse.
"It will be the highest level meeting with any official from the United States," Sobea said.
Burns will discuss U.S. "support for Egypt's democratic political transition, including an active and independent civil society, and the current economic challenges facing Egypt," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland had said.
Nuland also told reporters the U.S. deputy secretary of state, who arrived in Cairo from Turkey, would meet with "some political party leaders," but she could not say whether he would meet with those from the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political arm, has claimed the lead in the final stage of legislative elections after leading throughout, the first polls since president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February.
The United States is reaching out to the Brotherhood in a nod to Egypt's new political reality, but has indicated concerns linger about the group's attitude toward Egypt's Christian minority, women and the peace treaty with Israel.
Source: Agence France Presse
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