What Egyptians want from Washington

Egypt is set to use its president's visit to Washington to trumpet its position as a key US ally and major regional player.

Hosni Mubarak and Barack Obama, the US president, are expected to discuss a number of regional issues including the pivotal Palestinian-Israeli peace process, Iran's nuclear programme, stabilising Iraq, and fighting armed Islamist groups throughout the Middle East.

But many ordinary Egyptians, who once cared about their country's foreign policy, may no longer be interested in such talks.

Abdullah al-Ashaal, a professor of international relations and law at the American University in Cairo, says Egyptians will tune out because they believe the meetings in Washington on Tuesday will follow "an elitist agenda that has no direct link to the ordinary Egyptian citizen".

Al-Ashal, a critic of Egyptian foreign policy who describes himself as an independent political intellectual, said: "The most important item on Mubarak's agenda in Washington is to visit the White House. The man has in the past lost hope in visiting the White House and he has been dreaming about this visit."

Five-year absence

Mubarak has not visited the US since 2004, when the administration of George Bush, Obama's predecessor, pressed the Egyptian government on political plurality and democratisation.

Bush, left, visited Cairo often, but Mubarak has not been to the US since 2004 [AFP]

At that time, Bush pressed some of Washington's traditional Arab allies, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to create multi-party political systems and hold free elections.

But he quickly backed away from this once it became clear that such elections had led to the rise of Islamist groups in Iraq, Egypt, and the occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Obama administration has applied a more realistic approach towards the region.

It has been seeking the help of Arab governments in securing Iraq and pushing forward the peace process with Israel in return for turning a blind eye to political repression and media crackdowns.

Obama's strategy is a boon to Cairo which shares Washington's interest in minimising the influence of Iran and Islamist groups in the region.

In the meantime, Egypt continues to reject domestic and foreign pressure to democratise.

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