Washington, DC –Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement in response to the ongoing elections in Egypt:
"Despite some minor irregularities, reports so far indicate that the voting process has been free, fair, and peaceful. That speaks volumes about the resilience of the Egyptian people after a year of economic and political turmoil.
"We do not yet know the winner, but we know that person starts off with a steep hill to climb, with constitutional powers that have not yet been defined. These are among the issues Egyptians have to work through, but they're dwarfed by the immediate challenge of high unemployment, growing crime and the stagnant economy. These are urgent issues for everyone invested in building a stable and prosperous Egypt. Egypt’s new president will need to work with parties across the political spectrum and with the Egyptian military to create a more accountable political order. This is a challenge for everyone; we must not lose the promise born in Tahrir Square."
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