WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Muslim Brotherhood was in power in Egypt during the rule of President Mohamed Morsi until he was deposed by a military coup in July 2013, following days of massive protests against his rule.
Current Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, claiming it is a terrorist group.
“We decided not to meet with this group. There was never a meeting scheduled.”
In Tuesday’s briefing, Rathke did not say whether US officials decided not to meet with the Muslim Brotherhood on the request of the Egyptian government.
“The US officials will remain in contact with groups across the political spectrum in Egypt,” Rathke said.
Washington and Cairo cooperate on a wide range on issues. The United States provides Egypt with more than $1.3 billion in annual military and security assistance as the country plays a critical role in Middle East stability, according to the State Department.
