Rice urges Egypt to lead regional reform

CAIRO, June 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Egypt to have honest and free presidential elections by securing equal and fair competition among candidates.

"It is going to be essential that these elections be free and fair," Rice said after a meeting with Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

Rice said the world will be watching the elections, the first in Egypt to include more than one candidate.

"We look to the Egyptians and the Egyptian people to ... take a major role in leading reform in this region," she said.

Egypt had a referendum last month on the amendment of the electoral law allowing more than one candidate to run for president, but opposition forces boycotted the vote, saying the new law placed restrictions on the opposition.

Rice met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for 4 1/2 hours and discussed the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Iraq and Syria.

She said Israel and the Palestinians "have to concentrate on getting this to be a withdrawal that is successful."

Rice urged Syria to stop supporting militant groups in the region and said Egypt recognized the need for greater Sunni participation in Iraq.