CAIRO: The shooting on and near the Egypt-Israel border last week, “poses a threat to the security and stability of the region,” the US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs said on Monday.
Jeffery Feltman said that it’s in the US interest to maintain a stable security situation along the border and that no more Egyptian lives are lost.
“We are willing to do whatever is appropriate to help resolve the situation” and make sure it’s not repeated, he said.
Following a recent visit to Benghazi, Libya, Feltman was in Cairo to discuss regional issues and the recent developments along the Egypt-Israel border in a meeting with Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr and Assistant Minister of Defense Mohamed Al-Assar.
Feltman said that both Israel and Egypt have strong partnerships with the United States, saying that “Egypt is an important ally. Israel is an important ally.”
“Egypt is a leader in the region; we have no more important relationship in the Arab World than our partnership with Egypt,” he said.
He gave his condolences on behalf of the US government and people, to the family and friends of the Egyptian soldiers killed last week. It’s important, he said, that the families and friends of the victims are aware of our condolences for the lives lost.
Feltman reiterated continuing US support for Egypt’s transition to a democratic civil government, with full protections for human rights.
He also discussed developments in Libya and his trip to Benghazi during his meetings with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al-Araby.
“Qaddafi’s regime is finished,” he said. “Now Libya will need support from Arab League members and the international community to reconstruct a new democratic government that the Libyan people want.”
Feltman told ABC’s “Good Morning America”, that it does not matter where Qaddafi might be right now, because rebels are taking over the city, institutions and state television.
“He has become, for all intents and purposes, part of Libya’s past, and now people need to look to build Libya’s better future,” he added.
During his meetings in Egypt, Feltman discussed the situation in Syria saying that the time has come for President Assad to resign before Syria, too, descends into chaos.
“We firmly believe that it is time for the Syrian people, like the Egyptian people, to decide for themselves the best way forward for Syria,” he said.
