CAIRO, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Egypt's foreign minister restated his refusal to preconditions linked to a U.S. aid package the minister says is tied to a U.S.-based Israeli lobby.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit made his comments after meeting with U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., who sits on the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee, KUNA said Saturday.
"Abul Gheit explained his country's viewpoints regarding some issues and rejected any precondition to any U.S. aid to his country," a spokesman for the foreign minister told the official Kuwaiti news agency.
The pair discussed various issues pertaining to the Middle East political process and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
An earlier report from the Xinhua news agency said Abul Gheit thought Israel and some pro-Israeli interests in the United States were behind the aid issue and said Egypt could use its regional influence to harm U.S. interests.
