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Key US senator presses for suspension of aid to Egypt

By REUTERS

JULY 8, 2013 21:41

WASHINGTON - US Senator John McCain pressed on Monday for the United States to suspend its $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt, saying the removal of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi from office appeared to be a coup led by the military.

McCain said he understood that Morsi's removal was undertaken with broad public support and could eventually lead to a more representative civilian government.

But as Washington debates how to respond to events in Egypt, he said in a statement that US law forbids foreign assistance to countries where there has been a military coup against an elected government.

"It is difficult for me to conclude that what happened was anything other than a coup in which the military played a decisive role," said McCain, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services committee and a leading congressional voice on foreign affairs.

"I do not want to suspend our critical assistance to Egypt but I believe that is the right thing to do at this time," he said.

Some other lawmakers have said Washington should wait and see how things develop in Egypt before deciding what to do about the aid. US President Barack Obama's administration said on Monday it is not in the best interest of the United states to immediately change the program.

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