Tom Cohen
CNN
Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama’s spokesman listed Wednesday specific steps the Egyptian government needs to take to satisfy the demands of protesters convulsing the country.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called for expanding he negotiations with opposition groups, lifting the state of emergency and making constitutional changes to bring about democratic elections.
“We think more has to be done, and more importantly, I think the people of Egypt think more has to be done,” Gibbs told reporters.
In a sign of increasing tension between the United States and Egypt over the demonstrations that began January 25, Egypt’s foreign minister said in a U.S. television interview that the Obama administration should back off from pushing President Hosni Mubarak to speed up the reform process.
“When you speak about prompt, immediate, now,” Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told PBS “Newshour,” it is “as if you are imposing on a great country like Egypt, a great friend that has always maintained the best of relationship with the United States, you are imposing your will on him.”
Aboul Gheit said the U.S. government should “better understand the Egyptian sensitivities and better encourage the Egyptians to move forward and to do what is required – that is my advice to you.”