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U.S. Steps Up Public Diplomacy in Egypt Crisis U.S. Steps Up Public Diplomacy in Egypt Crisis
(35 minutes later)
CAIRO — A senior United States official arrived here Monday for meetings with the new military-led government as it tries to end a standoff with tens of thousands of Islamists camped out at a sit-in to protest the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.CAIRO — A senior United States official arrived here Monday for meetings with the new military-led government as it tries to end a standoff with tens of thousands of Islamists camped out at a sit-in to protest the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The visit by William J. Burns, the deputy secretary of state, is the most public United States engagement with the ongoing crisis in Egypt since Mr. Morsi’s ouster on July 3, and it comes at a moment when anti-American sentiment is running high on all sides.The visit by William J. Burns, the deputy secretary of state, is the most public United States engagement with the ongoing crisis in Egypt since Mr. Morsi’s ouster on July 3, and it comes at a moment when anti-American sentiment is running high on all sides.
Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters accuse Washington of giving its blessing to a military coup that ousted him as the country’s first elected president. Their opponents charge that the Obama administration wrongly supported Mr. Morsi’s Islamist government. Banners in Tahrir Square — the frequent focal point of protest — and elsewhere denounce President Obama as a Brotherhood enabler and depict United States Ambassador Anne Patterson with a large X over her face. Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters accuse Washington of giving its blessing to a military coup that ousted him as the country’s first elected president. Their opponents charge that the Obama administration wrongly supported Mr. Morsi’s Islamist government. Banners in Tahrir Square — the frequent focal point of protest — and elsewhere denounce President Obama as a Brotherhood enabler and depict United States Ambassador Anne W. Patterson with a large X over her face.
Advisers to President Morsi and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood have said that United States officials pushed him to try to reach some accommodation with the generals before his removal and have continued to urge the Brotherhood leaders to reach some agreement to participate in the political process under the new military-led government. Advisers to Mr. Morsi and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood have said that United States officials pushed him to try to reach some accommodation with the generals before his removal and have continued to urge the Brotherhood leaders to reach some agreement to participate in the political process under the new military-led government.
The Brotherhood has refused, deeming the new government undemocratic and illegitimate. United States officials have declined to comment on their role.The Brotherhood has refused, deeming the new government undemocratic and illegitimate. United States officials have declined to comment on their role.
Leaders of the Brotherhood vowed Monday to escalate their street protests, centered in a Cairo neighborhood near the defense ministry and presidential palace. They have called for marches and possible street blockades in the afternoon and evening after another day of fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Leaders of the Brotherhood vowed Monday to escalate their street protests, centered in a Cairo neighborhood near the Defense Ministry and presidential palace. They have called for marches and possible street blockades in the afternoon and evening after another day of fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In a further sign of the country’s divisions, Islamists militants in Sinai used rocket propelled grenades to attack a bus early Monday, killing three people and injuring 17, state media reported. In a further sign of the country’s divisions, Islamist militants in Sinai used rocket-propelled grenades to attack a bus early Monday, killing three people and injuring 17, state media reported.
The assault on the bus is part of a sharp uptick in violence in the relatively lawless Sinai region since Mr. Morsi’s ouster. Mr. Morsi’s opponents blame his Islamist allies in the Muslim Brotherhood for encouraging the retaliation, but leaders of the group say it has not condoned violence in Egypt since the British occupation.The assault on the bus is part of a sharp uptick in violence in the relatively lawless Sinai region since Mr. Morsi’s ouster. Mr. Morsi’s opponents blame his Islamist allies in the Muslim Brotherhood for encouraging the retaliation, but leaders of the group say it has not condoned violence in Egypt since the British occupation.
Although the attacks are very likely carried out by more militant Islamists angry at Mr. Morsi’s removal, some Brotherhood leaders have gone as far as suggesting that Egyptian intelligence agencies manufactured the violence or reports in order to blame the Brotherhood. Although the attacks are very likely carried out by more militant Islamists angry at Mr. Morsi’s removal, some Brotherhood leaders have gone as far as suggesting that Egyptian intelligence agencies manufactured the violence or reports of violence as a way to cast blame on the Brotherhood.
The developments came a day after the military-based government said Sunday that it was freezing the assets of 14 Islamist allies of the ousted president, stepping up pressure on Mr. Morsi’s supporters to back down from their continuing public protests.The developments came a day after the military-based government said Sunday that it was freezing the assets of 14 Islamist allies of the ousted president, stepping up pressure on Mr. Morsi’s supporters to back down from their continuing public protests.
Officials associated with the military takeover say they want all factions, including the Islamists, to participate in forming a government and competing for a new Parliament. But the Islamists object to the military overthrow of an elected government and a newly ratified Constitution. And they note that the generals are proceeding with the extralegal detention of the president, as well as with the arrests of scores of top Islamists leaders. Officials associated with the military takeover say they want all factions, including the Islamists, to participate in forming a government and competing for a new Parliament. But the Islamists object to the military overthrow of an elected government and a newly ratified Constitution. They note that the generals are proceeding with the extralegal detention of the president, as well as with the arrests of scores of top Islamist leaders.
Among others, the asset freeze hit Khairat el-Shater, a millionaire businessman who is both the chief financier and the chief strategist of the Brotherhood. Because of Mr. Shater’s importance to the group, he was subjected to long years in prison and asset seizures under President Hosni Mubarak, and he sometimes handled the group’s negotiations with Mr. Mubarak’s government from inside his jail cell. Among others, the asset freeze hit Khairat el-Shater, a millionaire businessman who is both the chief financier and the chief strategist of the Brotherhood. Because of Mr. Shater’s importance to the group, he was subjected to long years in prison and asset seizures under former President Hosni Mubarak, and he sometimes handled the group’s negotiations with Mr. Mubarak’s government from inside his jail cell.
The freeze also included the Brotherhood’s spiritual leader, Mohamed Badie, and the leader of its political arm, Saad el-Katatni, the former speaker of Parliament. Mr. Morsi is being detained without any legal warrant, but the new government has charged the other Islamist leaders with inciting violence.The freeze also included the Brotherhood’s spiritual leader, Mohamed Badie, and the leader of its political arm, Saad el-Katatni, the former speaker of Parliament. Mr. Morsi is being detained without any legal warrant, but the new government has charged the other Islamist leaders with inciting violence.
Also on Sunday, the interim president, Adli Mansour, swore in as vice president Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Prize-winning diplomat who has been the highest-profile public defender of the takeover. Mr. Mansour is expected to announce a full cabinet of as many as 30 ministers this week.Also on Sunday, the interim president, Adli Mansour, swore in as vice president Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Prize-winning diplomat who has been the highest-profile public defender of the takeover. Mr. Mansour is expected to announce a full cabinet of as many as 30 ministers this week.