'Imperative' Egypt military hand over power
2012-06-21 08:58
Washington - Egyptian military authorities
must cede power to the winner of the country's first post-Mubarak presidential
elections, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted on Wednesday.
"We think that it is imperative that the
military fulfill its promise to the Egyptian people to turn power over to the
legitimate winner," Clinton said in a discussion hosted at the State
Department.
Some of the actions by the military
leadership in past days were "clearly troubling," Clinton said, sitting
with former secretary of state James Baker at the event to support the creation
of the first US museum for diplomacy.
"The military has to assume an
appropriate role which is not to interfere with, dominate or try to subvert the
constitutional authority," she warned.
The Egyptian military-led authorities had
been saying "one thing publicly and then backtracking to a certain extent,
but our message has been consistent ... they have to follow through on the
democratic process," Clinton told the invited audience.
"By that we mean, yes, elections that
are free, fair and legitimate whose winner gets to assume a position of
authority in the country, but who also recognizes that democracy is not about
one election, one time."
There has been political upheaval in Egypt
since the country's first presidential elections after long-time ruler Hosni
Mubarak stepped aside last year. News that Mubarak was in a coma has created
further turmoil.
The Muslim Brotherhood said on Monday their
candidate, Mohamed Mursi, had won the runoff, and on Tuesday provided what they
said were certified copies of ballot tallies to bolster their claims.
But Mursi's rival Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's
last prime minister, has also claimed victory, with his campaign accusing the
Brotherhood of issuing false figures.
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed
Forces (SCAF) has meanwhile granted itself sweeping powers, and put the release
of the election results due Thursday on hold.
Clinton insisted that the fledgling democracy
trying to emerge in Egypt had "to be an inclusive democratic process, the
rights of all Egyptians, women and men, Muslims and Christians, everyone has to
be respected".
