Army reaffirms commitment to peaceful resolution in Egypt

Army chief General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi has reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful resolution of the ongoing protest and an inclusive political roadmap for the Egyptians.
Gen al-Sisi said this during a telephone call with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a Pentagon spokesman said.
"Hagel and al-Sisi discussed progress in US and EU mediation efforts led by Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns and EU Special Representative Bernadino Leon," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, said in a statement.
"(Gen) al-Sisi underscored his commitment to peaceful resolution of the ongoing protests, and thanked Secretary Hagel for US support. (Gen) al-Sisi affirmed the commitment of the interim civilian government to an inclusive political roadmap for all Egyptians," Little said.

The White House said, the Deputy Secretary of State, William Burns, was in Cairo this weekend and continued his discussions with a wide range of Egyptians, on how they can calm tensions, avoid further violence and facilitate an inclusive democratic process that helps Egypt's ongoing transition succeed.
"Burns has extended his trip, as has the EU Special Representative Bernadino Leon.

The Deputy Secretary continues to consult closely with Egyptians from a range of groups and parties and sectors of society, as well as with the EU and representatives of the UAE and Qatar, who are also in Cairo," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, told reporters.

"And along with our international friends, our team is in Cairo to offer the Egyptians help as they work to calm tensions and reduce the polarisation that we have seen there.
Ultimately, the decisions on the path forward are for Egyptians alone to make, but we are assisting and facilitating this process, as requested by the Egyptians," he said.
"The message he's sending is the message that we've been saying all along, that there is an incentive for the Muslim Brotherhood to be a part of an inclusive process, that it's best for the people of Egypt, it's best for the process and for the Muslim Brotherhood to be a part of it going forward," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said.

It is up to the Egyptian people to decide what their government will look like when they return to a democratically-elected civilian government, she said.
"It's not for the United States to endorse a party or a candidate. We've been very clear from the beginning. The only thing we've said is that it needs to be an inclusive process. And beyond that, it's up for the Egyptians to decide what it looks like," she said.