Obama tells Mubarak to deliver promised reforms

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday and said he told him to undertake sweeping reforms, while U.S. officials made clear that $1.5 billion in American aid to Egypt is at stake. Obama said he pushed Mubarak to make good on his pledges of greater democracy and economic freedom shortly after Mubarak gave a televised speech in which he dismissed his government in response to days of violent protest in Egyptian cities."I just spoke to him after his speech and I told him he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise," Obama told reporters following a 30-minute telephone conversation with the Egyptian leader.Mubarak called in his televised statement for a national dialogue to avoid chaos, while ordering tanks and troops onto the streets to restore control."I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters," Obama said.The U.S. president also said protesters in Egypt have a responsibility to remain peaceful. "Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms they seek," Obama said.Obama called on Egypt's government to reverse actions it has taken to "interfere with access to the Internet, to cellphone service and to social networks that do so much to connect people in the 21st century.""What's needed now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people, a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the Egyptian people," Obama added.The United States views Mubarak as a critical partner -- a linchpin for future Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking and bulwark against Iran's regional clout.

">WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday and said he told him to undertake sweeping reforms, while U.S"But U.S. officials have stressed this week their long-standing support for democratic reforms in Egypt.U.S. AID BEING REVIEWEDA review of U.S. aid to Egypt has raised U.S. pressure to a new level.The United States gave Egypt $1.3 billion in military aid and $250 million in economic aid in the 2010 fiscal year, making it one of the largest foreign U.S.

aid recipients."We will be reviewing our assistance posture based on events that take place in the coming days," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters."We are watching very closely the actions of the government, of the police, of all the security forces and all of those in the military -- that their actions may affect our assistance would be the subject of that review."The U.S. government urged American citizens to postpone nonessential travel to Egypt and said Americans who are in the country should stay indoors. 1 2 Next U.S. Politics Elections 2010 Egypt Tweet this Share this Link this Digg this Email Reprints