Egypt plans to send delegation to U.S. as NGO tensions mount

An Egyptian military delegation plans to visit the United States next week in talks over future of U.S. aid to Egypt, American officials said on Friday. The delegation is set to meet with state department and Pentagon officials and hold talks on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers will soon consider a new request for aid to Egypt’s military. U.S. aid currently amounts to $1.3 billion per year, one official told Reuters news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity. The visit comes after Egypt’s military-led authorities pounced on non-governmental organizations, including several funded by the U.S. government, and slapped travel bans on six American staffers including a son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former congressman. The six U.S. citizens work with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI). Both the NDI and IRI receive some of their funding from U.S. government agencies and, while not formally part of the two main U.S. political parties, each has some loose affiliation with either the Republican or Democratic party. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said American officials were pressing Egyptian authorities the crackdown, which she described as “bizarre.” The Americans have demanded that Egypt lift travel restrictions placed on a number of foreign NGO staffers. “We do not have progress since yesterday, I am sorry to report,” Nuland said. Political analysts say the crackdown, along with questions over Egypt’s Emergency Law and security forces’ treatment of women protesters, has clouded the outlook for Egypt’s fledgling democracy following last year’s overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. “The assertions of the Egyptian government in these cases are that they are subject to a judicial process which is not complete,” Nuland said. “Our message back is, ‘Complete these formalities and let our people travel as soon as possible.’“ High tension Officials said a detailed Washington schedule for the Egyptian visit was still being worked out, adding that it was a regular staff delegation that was coming at a moment of high tension in the U.S.-Egypt relationship. Other political sources said the Egyptians were expected to discuss the NGO issue on Capitol Hill, where a number of senators have warned the Egyptians that U.S. aid was at stake if action against the NGOs continues. “Continued restriction of their activities and harassment of international and Egyptian staff will be looked at with great concern, particularly in light of Egypt’s considerable U.S. assistance,” 11 senators said in a letter to Egyptian Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi dated Jan. 18. President Barack Obama spoke with Tantawi on 20 January and stressed the importance of the NGOs, as well as Egypt’s deteriorating economic situation and its request for $3.2 billion in support from the International Monetary Fund. The Obama administration is finalizing its budget for the 2013 fiscal year, which will be presented on Feb. 13 and is expected to include continued assistance for Egypt’s military. Lawmakers imposed conditions on the U.S. assistance given in 2012, requiring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to certify that the Egyptian government is supporting the transition to a civilian government. That includes holding free and fair elections and implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association, and religion, and due process of law. Clinton can waive this if it is in U.S. national security interests, but must notify Congress that she has done so. “Those are decisions that are going to have to be made later on in the winter and spring,” Nuland said. “These are points that we’re obviously making clear to the Egyptians.” Political analysts say the crackdown, along with questions over Egypt’s Emergency Law and security forces’ treatment of women protesters, has clouded the outlook for Egypt’s fledgling democracy following last year’s overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has vowed to cede power to civilian rule by June when a new president has been elected, and has repeatedly pointed to the parliamentary elections as proof of its intention to abandon politics. But protesters accuse the military of seeking to maintain some degree of control over the country’s affairs, even after June. Among those banned from travel is Sam LaHood, Egypt director for the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the son of U.S. Secretary for Transportation Ray LaHood, an Egyptian airport official said. The ban was issued following “the orders of the prosecutor general,” the airport official told AFP. The move comes amid a crackdown on foreign-funded NGOs. The order affects four IRI staff, including three Americans, and six from the NDI, also including three U.S. citizens. Sam LaHood had tried to fly out from Cairo on Saturday and was told that he could not leave, one NGO official said.