US Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Cairo a day before the trial of deposed Egyptian president



A day before the trial of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, US Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Cairo Sunday marking his first visit since Morsi’s ouster in a military coup.
Reportedly, Kerry met with top Egyptian officials to “convey Washington's deep concern" about the transitional period and to offer the country’s goodwill should developments move on the right track,” Ahram Online reported.
The Egyptian military led by army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ousted Morsi on July 3 following massive protests. He is due to face trial along with other senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders on charges of inciting violence.
Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood’s one year in office proved disastrous. The economy suffered and the rigidly authoritarian Morsi alienated nearly all moderate political groups, failing to build alliances and strike compromises.
Reportedly, the nationwide uprising against Morsi was bigger than the protests in Turkey’s Tahrir Square that forced President Hosni Mubarak out of power in 2011.
Following the removal of Morsi and the clampdown on his supporters, the Obama administration froze some of its annual military aid to Egypt citing bloodshed, violation of human rights and political turmoil.
At a joint press conference in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart Nabil Fahmy, Kerry said that the United States remains a committed friend and partner to Egypt despite the aid suspension to the military-backed government that took over from Morsi.
Kerry reportedly described Cairo as a vital partner in an attempt to repair relations hurt by the freeze in US aid. The US suspended an estimated $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt following the bloodshed and political turmoil in Egypt after Morsi’s ouster, Voice of America reported.
Meanwhile, the military-backed government over the last four months made sweeping efforts to dismantle the Brotherhood’s power. Its assets have been seized and reportedly all of Brotherhood’s senior leaders are in jail.
Reportedly, Kerry’s visit to Cairo is widely perceived as a tacit US support of the demise of Muslim Brotherhood, according to Ahram Online.
According to Reuters, Morsi is being held at an undisclosed location since his ouster. The trial reportedly will be held at a police institute near Cairo's Tora prison.



Source:allvoices

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