美国关切埃及人权状况，暂停对埃各项援助

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."

在川普任内有所改善的美国与埃及之间的关系星期三显得又非常紧张，原因是美国因埃及人权问题而冻结了给埃及的一部分援助。

美国把给埃及的经济和军事援助减少了大约一亿美元，还有约两亿多美元的军事贷款被延后。埃及是美国的最大受援国之一。

美国官员在谈到事情背景的时候说，原因是埃及没有改善其人权状况，也没有放宽对公民团体和其它非政府组织的严厉限制。

开罗外交部抨击美国的这个决定说，这是“对持续数十年的两国之间的战略关系性质做出的一个错误的判断。”

有报道说，埃及取消了来访的白宫顾问贾里德·库什纳和埃及外长萨姆·舒凯里的会见计划。但是，埃及外交部后来在推特上公布了库什纳及其一行会见舒凯里的视频。双方面对镜头显得非常高兴。

库什纳是川普总统的女婿。他去开罗是美国为重新推动中东和平谈判而做出的努力的一部分。星期三，他还会见了埃及总统阿卜杜勒-法塔赫·塞西。塞西办公室的声明没有提到援助减少的问题，而是强调了埃及愿意努力加强两国之间的关系。

川普把塞西视为打击伊斯兰极端主义的全球战争的一个重要伙伴。川普因此低调处理他对埃及人权记录的关切。今年4月，川普在白宫会见了塞西，并对他大加赞扬。

川普说，“要是有人有疑问的话，我就是要让所有人都知道，我们非常支持塞西。他在极为艰难的情况下做出了不起的成绩。”