The United States supports the fundamental right of expression and assembly for all people, an American official said on Tuesday.
Philip Crowley, assistant secretary at the Bureau of Public Affairs, said in a statement that all parties should exercise restraint. He added that the Egyptian authorities should deal with protesters peacefully.
“We have raised with governments in the region the need for reforms, greater openness and participation in order to respond to their people’s aspirations–and we will continue to do so,” he said.
He added that people across the Middle East are seeking change by having a role in the decisions that shape their lives. “We want to see reform occur, in Egypt and elsewhere, to create greater political, social, and economic opportunity consistent with people’s aspirations,” he said.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged all sides in Egypt to exercise restraint following street protests and said she believed the Egyptian government was stable and looking for ways to respond to its people's aspirations.
Crowley added that “The United States is a partner of Egypt and the Egyptian people in this process, which we believe should unfold in a peaceful atmosphere.”
