国际英语新闻:U.S. committed to supporting Egypt's economy, democracy: secretary of state

CAIRO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is on a two-day visit to Egypt, said Saturday evening that the United States is committed to assisting Egypt in becoming a democratic state with thriving economy, state-run news agency MENA reported.

"Egypt and the United States are partners and friends for a long time," he said during his meeting with a number of Egyptian businessmen in Cairo, reaffirming that the American people support Egypt and want it to be successful politically and economically.

He pointed out that he is visiting Egypt on behalf of U.S. President Barack Obama, saying his country is committed to supporting Egypt's democracy, human rights and freedom of expression.

Kerry said it was important for Egyptians to unite in boosting the country's economy by attracting investors, who look for security and stability in their investment destinations.

The U.S. top diplomat noted that on Sunday, he would met with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and discuss ways for the United States to support the Egyptian economy, including enhancing private sector and promoting Egyptian exports to the United States.

Kerry noted that the United States is working on a number of initiatives to enhance commercial cooperation with Egypt, noting that last September some 100 U.S. businessmen came to Egypt to explore chances for cooperation, expressing readiness for more support.

He revealed that he had recently held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who were all ready to assist Egypt.

Kerry arrived in Egypt Saturday on a two-day visit as part of his first trip aboard as Washington's top diplomat.

Observers say that Kerry's visit to Egypt is also meant to urge political consensus between the Egyptian government and the opposition as a necessary step for a democratic transition and for the approval of a loan of 4.8 billion U.S. dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to rescue Egypt's ailing economy.