Badie to US Ambassador: Actions Not Words Will Help US Restore Its Credibility in Muslim World

Dr. Mohamed Badie, Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), met with Mrs.Anne Patterson, U.S. ambassador in Cairo, Wednesday morning. The meeting was attended by Dr. Mahmoud Hussein, MB Secretary General, and Mr. Donald Bloom, Economic and Political Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Ambassador expressed her thanks for the MB’s generous hospitality, congratulated the Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) for winning the legislative elections, and stressed that the United States looks forward to cooperation with the Egyptian parliament and democratic government chosen by the people.

The MB Chairman thanked the U.S. Ambassador, stating that the elections were the pride of Egypt and its people, and that the result was a victory for the Democratic Alliance, which includes a number of parties, not the FJP alone, and expressed his hopes that “we live up to the expectations of our people”.

Dr. Badie pointed out that successive U.S. administrations supported dictators and helped them control their peoples, thus diminishing the popularity of the United States, adding that “we’re onto the ‘age of the people’… we want to see actions, not words, for the U.S. to recover its credibility with the Arab and Muslim peoples, in particular with regard to Palestine – the top issue for Arabs and Muslims”.

For her part, the U.S. Ambassador admitted that the U.S. administrations did make some mistakes, but added that they must overcome those mistakes and learn from them, so they would not be repeated in the future, and pointed out that democracy always brings in stable partners.

Dr. Badie underlined that Egypt has suffered from poor distribution of resources as well as the systematic plundering and looting of its resources, emphasizing that the current stage requires that all stakeholders, forces and actors must combine their efforts, because they all are partners who must bear the responsibility, even if they are not partners in power, they are partners in rights and duties, and hence all that matters for Egypt must be presented to their elected MPs.

The MB Chairman mentioned that the objectives of Sharia are collectively the main source of legislation, and that “this is the best guarantee of public and private freedoms; because Sharia safeguards freedom of religion, as well as personal freedoms, to all citizens alike”.

The U.S. Ambassador said that the economic situation in Egypt is serious, and that Egypt needs loans from the World Bank, and that this will contribute to an improved economic situation, and will help encourage other countries to provide loans and grants to Egypt.

Badie stated that, with regard to loans and financial and economic aid, Egypt has many great admirers around the world, and that they are eager to help it rise after the marvellous revolution, adding that the issue must be debated in the competent committees of the parliament elected freely and fairly by the people. He continued: “We have confidence in our Parliament and our armed forces”, just as they have confidence in their parliament and their armed forces. He also said: “We do not accept that any force or entity can be above the Constitution or above the people. Any aid must go through legitimate channels, with the knowledge of the Egyptian government, without any conditions.”