WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- The world's most economically powerful countries must help Tunisia and Egypt move to democracy, two U.S. cabinet members said Wednesday.
In a letter to other countries in the Group of Eight, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said there is now a "moment of opportunity."
"This is a time for the region and the world to work together to support successful transitions toward democratic societies and more inclusive economies," they said. "As our nations gather at Deauville, we should consider several steps to support these goals."
Specific steps include helping the World Bank and the African Development Bank encourage economic reform and development, the secretaries said. They said other countries should join the United States in a debt swap with Egypt that would funnel the money Egypt owes other countries into job creation.
The G-8 countries should also encourage reorientation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development so it can help the transition, they said.
In addition to the United States, the Group of Eight includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia.
