Egypt's Transition To Democracy Must Succeed

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07/17/2013

The United States," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a written statement, "is deeply troubled by the violence across Egypt. We strongly condemn any and all incitement to violence or attempts to divide and provoke, rather than unite, all Egyptians. . . .At the same time, we firmly reject the unfounded and false claims by some in Egypt that the United States supports the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood or any specific Egyptian political party or movement. The United States has always been and remains committed to the democratic process, not to any party or personality." 

The U.S. calls on Egyptian leaders to condemn the use of force and prevent further violence among their supporters.

The United States wants to see Egypt’s ongoing transition succeed for the benefit of the Egyptian people. The Egyptians themselves must come together and make the tough decisions necessary for that to happen. The only solution to the current impasse is for all parties to work together peacefully to address the many legitimate concerns and needs of the people and to ensure Egypt has a government that is responsive to the aspirations of the millions of Egyptians who have taken to the streets to demand a better future.

Lasting stability in Egypt will only be achieved through a transparent and inclusive democratic process with participation from all sides. This process must also ensure that the rights of all Egyptian men and women are protected.

The Egyptian people seek and deserve an honest, capable and representative democratic government. As President Obama has said, “no transition to democracy comes without difficulty, but in the end it must stay true to the will of the people.” The longstanding partnership and friendship between the United States and Egypt is of great importance to the United States, and the U.S. will continue to support the Egyptian people to ensure that Egypt’s transition to democracy succeeds.