[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 055 (Monday, April 7, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S4894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  POLITICAL AND LEGAL REFORM IN EGYPT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the supplemental appropriations bill 
passed by the Senate last week includes $3 million for the Government 
of Egypt and up to $2 billion in future loan guarantees. While Egypt 
remains an important ally of the United States and a partner in our on-
going war against terrorism, I continue to be extremely concerned about 
that country's lack of political, legal, and democratic reforms.
  We provide substantial assistance to Egypt on an annual basis. We did 
so in this supplemental. While loan guarantees and other forms of 
economic aid may be beneficial to Egypt, we are doing far too little to 
promote political reforms that would benefit the Egyptian people. It is 
no secret that I have long felt that the Department of State and the 
U.S. Agency for International Development need to do a better job in 
implementing democracy programs in Egypt that are both substantive and 
effective. This will require State and USAID to be aggressive in 
engaging the Egyptians on this issue on an ongoing and consistent 
basis. To date, this has yet to happen.
  Waiting for the Egyptians to engage us on democracy programs is 
simply not an option.
  Some may point to the recent release from jail of sociologist Dr. 
Saad Eddin Ibrahim, an Egyptian-American who was subjected to a 
political show trial, as evidence of political and legal reform in 
Egypt. It is not. Dr. Ibrahim should never have been arrested, should 
never have been tried, and should never have been jailed. Dr. Ibrahim's 
only `crime' was to criticize the Egyptian government and to call for 
greater freedoms.
  I continue to hope that the Secretary of State Colin Powell will 
clearly, publicly, and forcefully register the concerns of the United 
States regarding Egypt's commitment to human rights and democracy. It 
is not unreasonable for the United States to expect its allies to live 
up to basic standards of human rights and political freedom.

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