US annoyed with Egypt for refusing consular access

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The State Department expressed annoyance on Tuesday with the Egyptian government for refusing to grant timely access for US consular officials to an American being held for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks. Egyptian authorities have told US officials that no consular access will be granted until after the investigation is completed. "That's not an acceptable standard," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. He acknowledged that the Vienna Convention which mandates consular access to the government of a citizen arrested on foreign soil, does not specify a time frame for granting such access.