McCain says US and Egypt 'must remain friends'

 Senator McCain was speaking  to American and Egyptian businessmen at the American Chamber of commerce in Cairo before meeting with the country's military leaders, the Supreme Armed Forces Council, SCAF. He said to the businessmen that "Egypt is changing. It is true, and as such, the nature of America's partnership with Egypt is also changing," he continued "But ... we must remain the strongest of friends, politically, economically and militarily. We must maintain and strengthen the key pillars of that partnership, especially our commercial and trading relationship and where the people of Egypt and their newly elected government make the right decisions about the policies that will shape their sovereign nation's future," he said. "We must be here to reinforce and support them." AP reported.

Washington has threatened to cut $1.5 billion in aid over the crackdown on the democracy groups, one of which Senator McCain Chairs. He is also a member of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator McCain is visiting Egypt with Senator Joe Liberman and Lindsey Graham.

McCain met with military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the official MENA news agency reported, a week before Egypt is to try 43 suspects, including Americans, in a crackdown on NGOs accused of receiving illegal foreign aid.The other foreign NGOs targeted are the National Democratic Institute, the U.S. International Centre for Journalists and Freedom House, all from the United States, and the German Konrad-Adenauer Foundation.In the list of charges, the five groups are accused of receiving roughly $48 million (36.5 million euros) in illegal funds.

The dispute marks a critical juncture between the US and its former ally in the Midle East.President Obama gave his speech on America and the Islamic World, a new beginning in Cairo on 4th June 2009.America is blamed by many in the Arab World for its close and long term relationship with the former regime of Hosni Mubarak. Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have threatened to cut off American government aid to Egypt if the dispute is not resolved.