Politics & Policy

Hillary Clinton’s Statement

My transcription from her press conference 3 minutes ago:

We call on the Egyptian government to do everything in its power to restrain the security forces. At the same time protesters should also refrain from violence and express themselves peacefully. As we have repeatedly said, we support the universal human rights of people,  including expression, association an assembly. We urge the Egyptian authorities to allow peaceful protests and to reverse the unprecedented steps it has taken to cut off communications. These protests underscore that there are deep grievances within Egyptian society. And the Egyptian government needs to understand that violence will not make them go away. As President Obama said yesterday, reform is absolutely critical to the well-being of Egypt. Egypt has long been an important partner of the United State on a range of important issues. As a partner we strongly believe that the Egyptian people in implementing needed economic, political, and social reforms. We continue to raise with the Egyptian government, as we do with other governments in the region, the imperative for reform, and the imperative to provide a better future for all. We want to partner with the Egyptian people and their government to realize their aspirations to live in a Democratic society that respects basic human rights. When I was recently in the region, I met with a wide range of civil society groups and I heard from them about ideas they have that would improve their countries. The people of the middle east, like people everywhere are seeking a chance to contribute and to have a role in the decisions that will shape their lives. As I said, leaders need to respond to these aspirations, and to help build that better future for all. They need to view civil society as their partner, not as a threat.

Matthew Shaffer — Mr. Shaffer is a former William F. Buckley Fellow of the National Review Institute.
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