Kerry tries to clarify comment on Egypt

Secretary of State John Kerry today sought to clarify controversial remarks he made about the crisis in Egypt.
Kerry said in a TV interview yesterday the Egyptian military did not take over when it ousted President Mohammed Morsi. Kerry told Geo TV in Pakistan the military was "restoring democracy" in Egypt.
The Egyptian military threw out Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president, in a coup on July 3.
The military has established a civilian government and called elections for next year.
Kerry's comment was seen by some as a signal the US was siding with the military, even though the State Department has repeatedly said the US is not taking sides.

A spokesman of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Gehad el-Haddad, denounced Kerry's remarks.

"Does Secretary Kerry accept Defense Secretary (Chuck) Hagel to step in and remove (US President Barak) Obama if large protests take place in America?" El-Haddad said.
Kerry today said in London that all of the parties, the military as well as pro-Morsi supporters should be inclusive and work toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
"The last thing that we want is more violence," he said. "The temporary government has a responsibility with respect to demonstrators to give them the space to be able to demonstrate in peace. But at the same time, the demonstrators have a responsibility not to stop everything from proceeding in Egypt."

Egypt's state television says security authorities will impose a siege over the protest camps of deposed President Mohammed Morsi's supporters, a step before clearing them.