CAIRO, 13 July 2003 — The United States is seeking the backing of its ally Egypt for Iraq’s new provisional governing council in order to win the support of other Arab states, the pan-Arab Al-Hayat daily said yesterday.
According to the sources cited in the report, Washington wants Cairo to alter its official position of only opening relations with an elected Baghdad government. The United States “wants Cairo to act positively toward the provisional governing council in Iraq and convince countries in the region to treat it as if it were a government,” the Arabic-language newspaper said.
A US delegation headed by Republican congressman Porter Goss, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, recently visited Cairo for talks on the issue, it added. No information could be obtained on the reported talks from US or Egyptian officials.
But top Egyptian officials have repeatedly said they attach great importance to the formation of an elected Iraqi government. The credibility of the unelected council at home and in the region is considered crucial in the coalition’s efforts to revive the economy, restore basic services and fund rebuilding efforts.
Al-Hayat said Washington wanted to “win the support of the Egyptian government for the council as a first step in order to convince other countries to accept the ambassadors” named by it.
