Cairo rejects vote monitors

The European Union is committed to helping Egypt organize national elections though Cairo doesn't want international supervision, an EU official said. Egypt has parliamentary elections in September followed by a presidential vote in November, nine months after widespread demonstrations forced Hosni Mubarak to step down after three decades in office. Marc Franco, head of the European delegation to Cairo, said Europe was interested in spurring democratic transition in Cairo. "The EU is willing to contribute to the democratic transition in Egypt and help organize elections," he was quoted in Egypt's daily newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm as saying. Cairo, however, has rejected international supervision of the elections, he added. Meanwhile, presidential contender and former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa announced he was considering running as the candidate for the Wafd Party. The Wafd Party is one of the oldest politics forces in Egypt, forming shortly after World War I. The Muslim Brotherhood, formed in the 1920s, said last month it was joining forces with the liberal party to run on a single ticket in September parliamentary elections. Moussa is an early favorite in the presidential contest. Wafd and the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political organization, are leading forces in the parliamentary race.