McCain not in Egypt to 'negotiate' release of rights' workers but to affirm support for sovereignty

Published February 20, 2012

| FoxNews.com

U.S. Sen. John McCain said Monday that democracy and rights groups operating in Egypt are doing nothing to violate Egyptian sovereignty or meddle in the country's internal affairs, but the U.S. will work with the country's leaders to resolve a conflict arising out of the arrests of workers from several foreign-based organizations.

McCain, traveling with four U.S. senators to Egypt on a trip that was scheduled before the workers were prevented from leaving the country, said he's "confident that people of good faith -- in this country, our country and many others -- can and will find an acceptable resolution to the present situation."

In a statement made after a business conference, McCain said the U.S. lawmakers did not come to negotiate an agreement, but to reaffirm "the support of the United States, and the Congress in particular, for the sovereignty and aspirations of the Egyptian people," and to express a "strong desire to cooperate, as partners and friends, with the new democratic government."

Ties with Egypt have been strained since the government referred 16 Americans and 27 others to a criminal trial in a politically charged case against foreign-funded pro-democracy groups. Cairo is charging that the NGOs illegally distributed foreign funds and ran unregistered organizations.

On Saturday, Egyptian judicial authorities announced the workers will face trial on Feb. 26, a move that suggested a diplomatic resolution will not be reached.

Washington has threatened to cut $1.5 billion in aid over the spat. McCain chairs the International Republican Institute -- one of four U.S.-based groups under investigation -- and is also the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

McCain told ABC's "This Week" that "this is a serious situation," and he and the other senators wanted to explain the implications, though not make threats that "could be nonproductive."

On Monday he said the majority of the workers in the organizations are Egyptian and they are doing work that "seeks to support these Egyptian partners in pushing for the rule of law, free elections, a free media, respect for the human rights of all people and other core principles of a democratic society."

"This assistance has been all the more important because of certain laws that have limited the freedom of Egyptian non-governmental organizations to work on behalf of their own civil society and democratic aspirations," he said..

McCain said the nature of America's partnership with Egypt is changing a year after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak but stressed that the two countries "must remain friends."

"Now Egyptians have the chance to turn the page from the Mubarak era and write a new chapter in the great history of their sovereign nation. That is for Egyptians, and they alone, to do. And as Egyptians continue in their journey of democratic development, America will continue to stand with you, as a partner and as a friend," he said.

URL

http://www.foxnews.comhttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/20/mccain-us-relationship-with-egypt-is-changing-but-must-remain-friendly/