美國關切埃及人權狀況，暫停對埃各項援助

U.S.-Egypt ties, which had improved under President Donald Trump, appeared strained Wednesday after the United States withheld some aid to Egypt over human rights concerns.

The U.S. cut nearly $100 million in economic and military aid, and delayed nearly $200 million more in military financing to Egypt, one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid.

U.S. officials, speaking on background, cited Egypt's failure to make human rights improvements or relax harsh restrictions on civic and other non-governmental organizations.

Cairo's foreign ministry slammed the decision, calling it "a misjudgment of the nature of the strategic relations that binds the two countries over decades."

Egypt was also reported to have canceled a meeting between visiting White House advisor Jared Kushner and Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry. But Egypt's foreign ministry later released a video via Twitter of Kushner and his team meeting with Shoukry, with both delegations smiling for the cameras and laughing.

Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, is in Cairo as part of an effort to revive Mideast peace talks. He also met Wednesday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. A statement from Sissi's office did not mention the aid cuts. It highlighted Egypt's desire to work on strengthening relations between the two countries.

Trump has embraced Sissi as a key partner in the global war against Islamist extremism, downplaying concerns over his human rights record. During an April meeting at the White House, Trump was effusive in his praise for Sissi.

"I just want to let everyone know, in case there was any doubt, that we are very much behind President el-Sissi," Trump said. "He's done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation."在川普任內有所改善的美國與埃及之間的關係星期三顯得又非常緊張，原因是美國因埃及人權問題而凍結了給埃及的一部分援助。

美國把給埃及的經濟和軍事援助減少了大約一億美元，還有約兩億多美元的軍事貸款被延後。埃及是美國的最大受援國之一。

美國官員在談到事情背景的時候說，原因是埃及沒有改善其人權狀況，也沒有放寬對公民團體和其它非政府組織的嚴厲限制。

開羅外交部抨擊美國的這個決定說，這是“對持續數十年的兩國之間的戰略關係性質做出的一個錯誤的判斷。”

有報道說，埃及取消了來訪的白宮顧問賈裏德·庫什納和埃及外長薩姆·舒凱里的會見計劃。但是，埃及外交部後來在推特上公佈了庫什納及其一行會見舒凱里的視頻。雙方面對鏡頭顯得非常高興。
庫什納是川普總統的女婿。他去開羅是美國爲重新推動中東和平談判而做出的努力的一部分。星期三，他還會見了埃及總統阿卜杜勒-法塔赫·塞西。塞西辦公室的聲明沒有提到援助減少的問題，而是強調了埃及願意努力加強兩國之間的關係。

川普把塞西視爲打擊伊斯蘭極端主義的全球戰爭的一個重要夥伴。川普因此低調處理他對埃及人權記錄的關切。今年4月，川普在白宮會見了塞西，並對他大加讚揚。

川普說，“要是有人有疑問的話，我就是要讓所有人都知道，我們非常支持塞西。他在極爲艱難的情況下做出了不起的成績。”