Egypt: Amb. Patterson “Not Comfortable” Talking to MB

U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson said she is “not personally comfortable enough” yet talking to the Muslim Brotherhood. Patterson added that the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo had been in “contact” with Muslim Brotherhood members. The ambassador expressed her reluctance in an interview with GlobalPost after she addressed a crowd of journalists and activists at an event hosted by GlobalPost  and the Open Hands Initiative in Cairo. When asked to justify her reservations, Patterson said, “Well, I’m just not comfortable.” She also cited concerns about whether the Brotherhood would respect the Camp David treaty, which she said is “absolutely critical to peace in this entire region.”

Meanwhile, leader of the High Commission for Elections Abdel Moez Ibrahim announced Monday that eligible Egyptian voters who abstain from participating in the elections will be fined LE 500 (USD 84.) Also, Al Masry Al Youm reported, “with elections approaching, NGOs say they are experiencing the same harassment and pressure that they did under former President Hosni Mubarak.”