Posted on 04/03/2005 10:21:48 PM PDT by ColdWarNavyVet_dirsup
CAIRO, April 3, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The US State Department has drawn up a memo calling for direct and permanent political dialogue with the banned Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a leading Arabic newspaper reported on Sunday, April 3.
The US administration sees the Muslim Brotherhood as one of the most powerful opposition movements in Egypt, unnamed Western diplomatic sources in the Egyptian capital told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
The memo recommends inviting the group’s representatives to the United States for better communication and common grounds on Egypt’s reform policies and the pressing issues in the region, they added.
The State Department believes that Washington can contain the group and its ilk through dialogue.
The memo, according to the Western diplomatic sources, maintains that it is about time that the administration looked differently at religious groups and avoided any further clash with them, because this would only fan hatred and incite more attacks against US interests.
They added that the State Department has asked the US Embassy in Cairo to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood’s leaders as a preliminary step for an organized dialogue.
The memo recommends that after reaching common understandings with the Muslim Brotherhood, Washington should pressure the Egyptian government to let the group members speak out their minds freely and play a role on the country’s political landscape, according to the sources.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned since 1954, has 16 deputies in Egypt ’s 454-member parliament, making it the main opposition force in Egypt.
Alleged Bugaboo
The memo maintains that it would be a “historical mistake” to marginalize the Muslim Brotherhood or treat the group as an enemy to the US, said the sources.
It recognizes that the group enjoys a soaring popularity in Egypt which necessitates regular meetings with its leaders.
The State Department cautions against listening to the warnings of the Egyptian government which have not proved “serious” in all cases.
The memo asserts that the Egyptian government has been describing the Muslim Brotherhood as a “bugaboo” to justify rigging election or scaling down reforms.
“They (government) fear that free and fair election will bring about opposition figures and undermine the privileges they have been enjoying for years,” the Western diplomatic sources told the London-based daily.
Egyptian Minister of Justice Mahmoud Abu El-Leil said last week that the Egyptian judiciary would supervise the multi-candidate presidential election to be held in September.
President Hosni Mubarak has not indicated whether he would run for a fifth term in office.
But a senior official from the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) told the official MENA news agency that Mubarak would announce his decision after the result of a referendum in May on a proposed amendment to the constitution allowing multi-candidate presidential election.
Conditional Dialogue
Mohammad Habib, the first deputy of the Muslim Brotherhood Guide-General, signaled conditional welcome to a dialogue with Washington.
“It should take place under the supervision of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry,” he told the mass-circulation newspaper.
Habib denied that the group had been locked in talks with the US, stressing that the Muslim Brotherhood rejected any reform recipe from abroad.
“Egypt’s reform agenda should come from within,” he said emphatically.
The Muslim Brotherhood leader further denied knowledge of any contacts between officials from the US embassy in Cairo and the group’s leaders.
“Make no mistake about it: we don’t deal with the US embassy and any [foreign] contacts should be done via the Foreign Ministry,” Habib said.
He reaffirmed his group’s readiness for dialogue with all political parties in Egypt, including the NDP, for the welfare of Egyptian society.
Despite the arrest of at least 55 members, including leading figures, several thousand members of the group took part in three demonstrations in Cairo last Sunday to press for constitutional reforms and the lifting of restrictive emergency laws.
Sorry for the dyslexia! I thought you stated that AQ was before the MB. Isee now that you were saying that MB came first.
it's just nice to see that there are people out there who know that these groups exist and are threats
Heck, and I was worried about Pakistan getting F16s...looks like our new foreign policy is to apease islamic countries and organizations. 9/11? what 9/11, or so says foggy bottom!
MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 843: "KUWAITI INTELLECTUAL: THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE PUT ON THE U.S. TERRORIST LIST" (January 7, 2005)
MEMRI.org - MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE Special Dispatch Series - No. 655: "NEW MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD LEADER: RESISTANCE IN IRAQ AND PALESTINE IS LEGITIMATE; AMERICA IS SATAN; ISLAM WILL INVADE AMERICA AND EUROPE" (February 4, 2004)
The Muslims Brotherhood are the fathers of Al-Qaeda. Sorry but some info from a blog that has its source from a Princeton Professor just doesnt cut it!
The MB are the last people we want in power. This is a war against IslamoFacism and the last thing we should be doing is negotiating with IsalmoFacists!
What the MB is doing is called Taqiya which is the Islamic doctrine that it is okay to lie to advance their cause. Their history speaks louder than what they claim they stand for NOW!
Islamic Jihad and Hamas provide "social services" in Lebanon. They're still terrorist organizations and most Lebanese want them out too.
And if you believe that one, pass the big fat doobi, I've got another bridge to sell you.
We legitimized the PLO, KLA and others and see how well we control them. /sarcasm
What is it about that location that rots everyone's brain? Some ancient demonic curse? Indian revenge? A disturbed burial ground for pets?
You are right and guess who their main beneficiaries are: yup the cute and cuddly House of Saud. Evil incarnate themselves.
I wonder if they have annual draft picks for terrorists and their organizations?
Ahh, where you can get the genuine Islamic Sheite hole experience, 5 times a day.
Pure and simple BS, stop your lies. It's a well established fact, friend, that there are over 1 billion evil people: they're called faithful Christians. Ssssh.
House of Saud should be our first target, suck the islamics dry of their funding. Then move on to Iran/Syria/KLA, etc
Yup, that's why they democratically butchered 60 tourists some 5 years ago.
The koran teaches them that lying, stealing, cheating, killing of non-muslims is the muslim way of life!
Their at odds with AL-Qaeda (at least they claim) over peanuts. They both have the same goal and that is more than enough evidence to warrant their destruction.
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