WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt, waiving congressionally mandated democratic reform conditions.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Clinton waived the conditions based on U.S. national security interests and a goal of maintaining a strategic partnership with Egypt, Voice of America reported Friday.
"What we are looking to do here is to continue to work with Egyptian partners on the kind of future that they want for Egypt and that is in our mutual interest," Nuland said.
Under a law passed by Congress in December, Egypt's military rulers are required to support a transition to a civilian government, hold free and fair elections and protect freedom of religion and association as conditions for receiving the aid.
VOA said Clinton assured U.S. lawmakers Egypt was meeting obligations in a peace treaty with Israel and had made "significant progress" in the past 15 months toward democracy, including free and fair parliamentary elections and the transfer of legislative authority to the new governing body.
Some U.S. lawmakers and human rights group criticized Clinton's decision, saying Egypt's transitional military leaders haven't shown a commitment to making full democratic reforms.
Freedom House, one of three U.S. pro-democracy groups shut down in Cairo in December in an investigation into alleged illegal foreign funding, said the military leaders in Egypt have "repeatedly failed to uphold the fundamental rights of Egyptian citizens."
