US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, on Monday stressed the need to promote democracy in the region, telling Egypt's government leaders "the fear of free choices can no longer justify the denial of liberty."
According to The AP, Rice spoke to some 700 government officials, academics and other guests at the American University in Cairo.
"For 60 years, my country, the United States, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region, here in the Middle East, and we achieved neither," Rice commented. "Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people."
"Throughout the Middle East the fear of free of choices can no longer justify the denial of liberty. It is time to abandon the excuses that are made to avoid the hard work of democracy," Rice said.
