By POMED
U.S. congressional delegation led by Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) visited Egypt over the weekend. Other members of the delegation included Reps. Juan Vargas (D-CA), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Andy Harris (R-MD), French Hill (R-AR), Robert Pittenger (R-NC), and Steve King (R-IA). According to a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, the purpose of the visit was “to strengthen ties between the American and Egyptian peoples;” the delegation “addressed a range of mutual interests and cooperation, and expressed U.S. support for Egypt’s security, stability, and prosperity.”
In a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, the delegation discussed increasing cooperation between the two countries. Yesterday, the delegation met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi alongside Minister Shoukry. President Sisi reportedly praised the delegation’s efforts in strengthening the ties between Egypt and the United States and discussed Egypt’s counterterrorism initiatives. With respect to fighting terror, Sisi also emphasized not distinguishing between terrorist groups and the importance of using the same approach to combat each one—possibly a reference to the latest push by Congress to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization. These efforts, according to President Sisi, should include preventing terrorist groups from being funded and intervening in their usage of social media to promote their ideologies.
Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi also met with the delegation and discussed current developments in the Middle East and counterterrorism. The minister emphasized the strong military relationship between the two countries that “extends over decades of partnership, cooperation and joint military exercises.”
Minister Shoukry also phoned U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this weekend to congratulate him on his confirmation and discuss U.S.-Egypt relations. Tillerson assured his counterpart that the United States is committed to taking Egypt’s views into account on issues pertaining to the Middle East and invited him to Washington for an in-person meeting.
Prior to the visit, on February 9, Rohrabacher introduced H.Res.113, which aims to roll back President Obama’s March 31, 2015, decision to stop providing the cash flow financing (CFF) privilege to Egypt starting in 2018. Cash flow financing allows foreign governments to pay for U.S. defense equipment in installments. Rohrabacher claims that the removal of CFF, coupled with diminishing economic assistance directed to Egypt, will limit Egypt’s ability to provide regional stability, and develop its economy. The bill also calls for an increase to pre-2009 levels of U.S. aid to Egypt, and for providing Egypt a $10 billion loan guarantee.
This was the second U.S. congressional delegation to visit Egypt in the past year; the last visit took place in June 2016 and was also led by Rep. Rohrabacher. According to al-Masry al-Youm, President Sisi is currently planning a state visit to Washington, DC for next month. This will mark the first official visit by an Egyptian president to the United States since former president Hosni Mubarak visited in 2009.
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