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Introduction





Asia

Europe and Central Asia

Middle East and North Africa

Special Issues and Campaigns

United States

Arms

Children’s Rights

Women’s Human Rights

Appendix




European Union
Negotiations continued between Egypt and the E.U. on the terms of a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement, which include “respect for human rights and democratic principles.” As of October, outstanding issues remained, including European market access for Egyptian agricultural exports. Egypt also strongly objected to the inclusion of language in agreements now being negotiated which allows the E.U. to interrupt the operation of the treaty unilaterally in response to serious human rights violations. Under the earlier treaties negotiated with Tunisia, Israel, and Morocco such issues must first be taken up by foreign ministry officials of both parties.

Embassy staff of some E.U. member states—Denmark, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—met with counterparts from the U.S., Canada, and Sweden as an informal “like-minded group” to discuss human rights issues, such as the draft law governing private associations. Human Rights Watch was not aware, however, of any public E.U. demarches in the November 1997-October 1998 period regarding the human rights situation.

In March, U.K. Foreign Minister Robin Cook announced a program to train Egyptian security forces. According to British officials, the program is intended to teach “more humane ways of fighting terrorism,” and in particular to protect high-level officials. U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Cairo in April, but human rights issues were not raised publicly. Nor were there any indications that the French government raised such concerns when President Mubarak visited Paris in May.

U.S. Policy
Military cooperation, commercial and trade ties, and close diplomatic coordination on regional issues -- particularly the Arab-Israeli peace negotiations -- remained cornerstones of the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Egypt. U.S. government officials, including Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer in Cairo, refrained from vigorous public advocacy on any human rights issue, continuing the unstated policy that has been in place for years.

The Clinton Administration’s Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 described Egypt as “the most prominent player in the Arab world and a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.” It noted that “[a] strong relationship with Egypt affords us political and security benefits that no single other Arab state can provide.” The administration’s FY 1999 appropriation request for aid to Egypt was $2.116 billion, encompassing $1.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing (both a grant and loan program), $815 million in Economic Support Funds, and $1 million from the International Military Education and Training program, which provides training for Egyptian military officers.

The Presentation stated that military assistance to Egypt is part of the administration’s strategy of maintaining continued availability of Persian Gulf energy resources. It noted that the aid “assists in providing security to the Suez Canal, which serves both as an important international oil route and as a critical route for U.S. warships transiting to the Gulf.” It added that the close relationship with Egypt “helps assure critical permission for the overflight of U.S. aircraft bound for the Gulf.” At a press conference in Cairo on April 19 with Egyptian defense minister Field Marshal Gen. Muhamed Tantawi, Secretary of Defense Cohen said that the “strong strategic partnership” was “based on our shared commitment to stability in the Middle East.” He added that at his meeting earlier that day with President Mubarak, “I assured him that the U.S. will continue to support Egypt’s program to modernize its military. This year we are going to provide 1.3 billion dollars in grants and our troops are going to continue to exercise and train together.”

The U.S. is the world’s largest supplier of goods and services to Egypt, with 1996 sales estimated at $3 billion, according to the State Department’s 1997 Country Reports on Economic Policy and Trade Practices . In a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce in Alexandria on March 19, Ambassador Kurtzer noted that the U.S.-Egypt Partnership for Economic Growth and Development, launched in 1994, was designed to “stimulate the creation here of a free market economy which is export-oriented and in which trade, business development, and commerce become the engines that drive economic change.” The bilateral trade relationship is weighted overwhelmingly in favor of the U.S. The annual $200 million Commodity Import Program of USAID provided financing to Egyptian companies to purchase U.S. products including food and agricultural goods, fertilizers and chemicals, and construction and transportation equipment. U.S. exports were also facilitated by another $800 million annually in other USAID projects, and $165 million annually from U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. In addition, the report noted that “[a] substantial portion” of the annual U.S. military assistance to Egypt financed U.S. exports to the country.


Countries


Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel, The Occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Palestinian Authority Territories

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia


Campaigns



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