Sisi meets with US Congress delegation

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Sunday with a US Congress delegation currently visiting Egypt, state-run newspaper Al-Ahram reported.

Military sources said discussions revolved around US-Egypt bilateral relations and the latter’s recent political developments. 

Sources denied that the visit is connected to the constitutional referendum, which took place last week, ratifying a draft constitution with 98 percent of the vote. It was stressed that the meeting was scheduled well in advance.

The delegation said it is keen to relay an accurate image of the situation in Egypt to US Congress, expressing American support for the government’s steps towards restoring security and stability and rebuilding state institutions, Al-Ahram added.

The visiting team also met with interim President Adly Mansour, with whom they discussed relations between the two nations and ways to support and develop them.   

The US representatives said that the recent elections reflect the will of the Egyptian people, which they respect, and that international monitors have confirmed the elections were free and fair.

A presidential statement said the delegation lauded articles in the constitution pertaining to rights and freedoms, Al-Ahram reported.

Mansour assured his visitors that the right to peacefully protest is guaranteed, but stressed that violence, which he said is unacceptable, would be combated by the state.

Last week, White House officials said the American Senate was discussing plans to loosen restrictions on US aid to Egypt, one day after the release of the omnibus spending bill for the remainder of the fiscal year 2014.

The news coincided with the first day of voting on the constitutional referendum, which Egyptian authorities claim is the first step on the roadmap to establishing a democratic state, announced in early July, 2013.

The aid program was frozen following the toppling of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. A US law prevents the funding of a foreign military that has conducted a coup against a democratically elected government.