Egyptian opposition refuses to meet with Kerry

By C. J. Refsland on March 2, 2013 • ( 0 )

Leaders from Egypt’s opposition group the National Salvation Front have rejected invitations to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry during his visit to Cairo on Saturday, citing US pressure over their decision to boycott parliamentary elections.

An Egyptian opposition head said he and colleague Mohamed ElBaradei have turned down invitations to meet Secretary of State John Kerry during his visit to Cairo on Saturday because of US pressure.

The NSF had demanded guarantees that the election will be transparent as a condition to participate.

It has complained of what it sees as US support for Morsi, whom some NSF members backed in last June’s election against ousted leader Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq.

But they now accuse Morsi of having betrayed the values of the uprising which overthrew Mubarak in early 2011 and having sidelined liberals and Christians since he took power.

US President Barack Obama last week told Morsi in a phone conversation that he welcomed his “commitment” to represent all Egyptians but encouraged him and the opposition to find common ground.

(FRANCE 24 with wires)

VIOLENCE ERUPTS ACROSS EGYPT

One person was killed and dozens injured in overnight clashes between police and protesters in Egypt’s Nile Delta city of Mansura, a security official told AFP on Saturday. A week of demonstrations in Mansura turned violent late on Friday when police fired tear gas at protesters outside the governorate headquarters, witnesses said.

Violence also broke out on Saturday in Port-Saïd, where 500 protesters threw stones and petrol bombs at the police station, setting it on fire, and then blocked fire engines from reaching the blaze

Egypt has been gripped by nationwide unrest in recent months, with protesters taking to the streets to denounce Islamist President Mohamed Morsi for failing to address political and economic concerns.

(Source: AFP)

via Egyptian opposition refuses to meet with Kerry – EGYPT – FRANCE 24.