U.S. officials discussing withholding some aid to Egypt over NGO law
Source: Reuters
#WORLD NEWS
JULY 26, 2017 / 7:37 PM / 2 HOURS AGO
U.S. officials discussing withholding some aid to Egypt over NGO law
Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials are discussing whether to withhold a portion of U.S. assistance to Egypt to protest Egyptian passage of a law that imposes restrictions on non-governmental organizations, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.
Officials have not reached an agreement on whether to proceed with a recommendation to President Donald Trump and his senior leadership, but there is a feeling that some action is necessary in reaction to the move by Egypt, the official told Reuters.
U.S. aid to Egypt has long been sacrosanct. Egypt is one of Washington's closest allies in the Middle East, receiving $1.3 billion in U.S. military aid and about $200 million in economic assistance annually.
"We told them over and over again don't do this, that they are putting at risk U.S. aid, but they did it anyway," the official said. "We're figuring out how to respond."
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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-egypt-idUSKBN1AB33T