US suspensions of arms to Egypt could be lifted: Kerry
Says the deliveries could resume if Cairo makes headway toward restoring civilian rule.
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that Washington s suspension of military hardware deliveries to Egypt could be lifted based on the behaviour of the country s rulers.
Kerry said the deliveries could resume if Cairo makes headway toward restoring civilian rule. "So this would be on the basis of performance," he said during a visit to Malaysia.
"By no means is this a withdrawal from our relationship or a severing of our serious commitment to helping the government" transition to democracy, Kerry told reporters in the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Washington on Wednesday stopped shipments of some large-scale military systems as well as halting $260 million in cash aid to Egyptian military leaders, who ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July.
The step was aimed at signalling Washington s displeasure with the military rulers over a deadly crackdown against protesters and Islamists.
Egypt has criticised the US decision as "flawed" and said it would not bow to American pressure.
The decision, which marks a dramatic break with years of unqualified support to Cairo, will prevent deliveries of big-ticket items including Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets, M1A1 Abrams tank parts and Harpoon missiles, US officials told reporters.
Washington had already effectively shelved deliveries of expensive military hardware since a July 3 coup that ousted Morsi and a subsequent clampdown on his Muslim Brotherhood supporters.
In the wake of the summer s events, President Barack Obama had ordered his national security team to review the total $1.5 billion in annual US aid to Egypt.
