奥巴马对埃及清场行动表态：理解局势的复杂性

奥巴马一家目前正在度假

据法新社报道，埃及卫生部称，安全部队终止前总统穆尔西总统支持者静坐示威的清场行动已经造成了525人死亡。面对埃及局势的恶化及死亡人数的不断上升，正在度假的美国总统奥巴马一方面表态谴责暴力行为，另一方面称“理解埃及局势的复杂性”（appreciate the complexity of the situation）。继埃及政变之后，奥巴马再一次用空话教导埃及人民。

此前，埃及军方将民选总统穆尔西赶下台时，奥巴马不顾“政变”事实，称“通往民主的道路从来都不是一帆风顺，但最终还要符合人民的意愿。美国不支持具体的个人或政党，但崇尚民主、尊重法治。”

以下为奥巴马的发言节选：

就在两年前，埃及人的行动还在鼓舞着美国人——人们渴望改变，数百万的埃及人走上街头，捍卫自己的尊严，要求一个能对他们的政治自由和经济机会诉求负责的政府。当时我们就说过，改变不会是快速的和轻易的，但是我们在一系列的原则上是一致的：非暴力，尊重普世权利，以及政治和经济的改革。在此过程中，我们同时受到价值观和利益的指引，因为我们相信如果一个国家也能遵循上述原则，就能做到更加稳定和成功。

这也是我们关心近期事态的原因。我们理解局势的复杂性。尽管穆尔西是经过民主选举上台的，但是他的政府并不具备包容性，不够尊重全体埃及人的观点。

我们知道，很多埃及人，上百万的埃及人，甚至绝大多数的埃及人，都呼吁改变。我们不认为武力是解决政治分歧的正确方式，在军方介入数周之后，仍然存在和解和民主对话的机会。然而，我们看到了一条更危险的道路。

我们强烈谴责埃及军方和临时政府的行为，反对针对平民的暴力，支持和平抗议的权利。

我要对埃及人说，暴力的循环需要终止。我们呼吁埃及军方尊重普遍的人权。而对于抗议者，我们也呼吁他们和平进行，我们谴责抗议者发动的暴力袭击。

 

已成废墟的开罗阿达维耶清真寺

对美国政府的轻描淡写，美国媒体都看不下去了。《华盛顿邮报》今天报道题为“奥巴马在打高尔夫，克里在演讲，埃及人民正在死亡。”

《华盛顿邮报》网站截图

中国外交部发言人洪磊今天在接受提问时表示，中方高度关注埃及局势，对事态发展深感忧虑。中方呼吁埃及有关各方都以国家和人民利益为重，保持最大限度克制，避免更多人员伤亡，通过对话协商化解分歧，恢复秩序和社会稳定。

奥巴马发言全文请见下一页

President Obama delivered the following remarks on the unrest in Egypt on Aug. 15 in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

Good morning, everybody.

I just finished a discussion with my national security team about the situation in Egypt, and I wanted to provide an update about our response to the events of the last several days.

Let me begin by stepping back for a moment. The relationship between the United States and Egypt goes back decades. It’s rooted in our respect of Egypt as a nation, an ancient center of civilization and a cornerstone for peace in the Middle East. It’s also rooted in our ties to the Egyptian people, forged through a long-standing partnership.

Just over two years ago, America was inspired by the Egyptians’ -- people desire for change as millions of Egyptians took to the streets to defend their dignity and demand a government that was responsive to their aspirations for political freedom and economic opportunity. And we said at the time that change would not come quickly or easily, but we did align ourselves with a set of principles: nonviolence, a respect for universal rights, and a process for political and economic reform. In doing so, we were guided by values but also by interests, because we believe nations are more stable and more successful when they’re guided by those principles as well.

And that’s why we’re so concerned by recent events. We appreciate the complexity of the situation. While Mohammed Morsi was elected president in a democratic election, his government was not inclusive and did not respect the views of all Egyptians.

We know that many Egyptians, millions of Egyptians, perhaps even a majority of Egyptians were calling for a change in course. And while we do not believe that force is the way to resolve political differences, after the military’s intervention several weeks ago, there remained a chance for reconciliation and an opportunity to pursue a democratic path. Instead, we’ve seen a more dangerous path taken, through arbitrary arrests, a broad crackdown on Mr. Morsi’s associations and supporters and now, tragically, violence that’s taken the lives of hundreds of people and wounded thousands more.

The United States strongly condemns the steps that have been taken by Egypt’s interim government and security forces. We deplore violence against civilians. We support universal rights essential to human dignity, including the right to peaceful protest. We oppose the pursuit of martial law, which denies those rights to citizens under the principle that security trumps individual freedom or that might makes right. And today the United States extends its condolences to the families or those who were killed and those who were wounded.

Given the depths of our partnership with Egypt, our national security interest in this pivotal part of the world and our belief that engagement can support a transition back to a democratically elected civilian government, we’ve sustained our commitment to Egypt and its people. But while we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back.

As a result, this morning we notified the Egyptian government that we are canceling our biannual joint military exercise, which was scheduled for next month.

Going forward, I’ve asked my national security team to assess the implications of the actions taken by the interim government and further steps that we may take as necessary with respect to the U.S.- Egyptian relationship.

Let me say that the Egyptian people deserve better than what we’ve seen over the last several days. And to the Egyptian people, let me say the cycle of violence and escalation needs to stop. We call on the Egyptian authorities to respect the universal rights of the people. We call on those who are protesting to do so peacefully and condemn the attacks that we’ve seen by protesters, including on churches. We believe that the state of emergency should be lifted, that a process of national reconciliation should begin, that all parties need to have a voice in Egypt’s future, that the rights of women and religious minorities should be respected and that commitments must be kept to pursue transparent reforms to the constitution and democratic elections of a parliament and a president.

And pursuing that path will help Egypt meet the democratic aspirations of its people while attracting the investment, tourism and international support that can help it deliver opportunities to its citizens. Violence, on the other hand, will only feed the cycle of polarization that isolates Egyptians from one another and from the world and that continues to hamper the opportunity for Egypt to get back on the path of economic growth.

Let me make one final point. America cannot determine the future of Egypt. That’s a task for the Egyptian people. We don’t take sides with any particular party or political figure. I know it’s tempting inside of Egypt to blame the United States or the West or some other outside actor for what’s gone wrong.