US keen on strategic ties with Egypt

Two senior US State Department officials underlined the US' keenness on strategic ties with Egypt and promoting bilateral relations in the political, military and commercial spheres.

The US is dealing with Egypt's elected president Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the Egyptian government to promote ties between the two countries in all domains, Candace Putnam, the official in charge of the Egypt Affairs Office at the State Department, told a group of Egyptian reporters.

Washington hopes that Egypt holds the parliamentary polls to complete its democratic transition, the US official said.

The US does not support the Muslim Brotherhood group as mistakenly believed by many quarters in Egypt, Putnam stressed.

Speaking about the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC), held in March, Putnam said the event had brought Egypt back to the international investment map strongly, adding that the US will continue its strategic relations with Egypt for the stability of the turbulent region.

The US seeks to build a larger partnership with Egypt in the military domain, she added.

She touched on economic and trade relations, saying that trade talks will be held between the two countries in the summer to be a good foundation for "free trade zone" negotiations.

The US will strongly participate in the next session of EEDC, she said. The State Department has not received yet an invitation to the inauguration of the new Suez Canal project from Egypt although Russia and France had, she noted.

Meanwhile, US Deputy Assistant Secretary Larry Schwartz said the US supports everything that can help expand the base of the Egyptian economy and offer more opportunities to the youth.

Egypt needs 700,000 job opportunities each year, Schwartz said.