Opponents of Muslim Brotherhood Boycott Kerry in Cairo

Opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood are refusing to meet with the new US secretary of state, John Kerry, during his visit to Egypt. As reported by The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/kerry-urges-unpopular-reforms-in-egypt/2013/03/02/269d0c52-8353-11e2-a671-0307392de8de_story.html?hpid=z4):

"The ruling Islamists are at an impasse with secular and leftist opposition parties. The umbrella National Salvation Front has called for a boycott of upcoming parliamentary elections in protest of a national constitution whose strong Islamist stamp also worries some in the United States.

Political liberals and secular parties resent the U.S. push for them to take part in voting they say will further divide the country. They say the U.S. is showing favor to Morsi and Islamists."

Kerry is a problematic figure in the Sunni Muslim Middle East, after frequently visiting with Syrian tyrant Bashar al-Assad and declaring Assad to be his "dear friend."

Kerry is not visiting Israel after his stop in Cairo, but says he will accompany Obama when the American president arrives in Israel later this year.

On Friday, Kerry met in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, one of five world leaders whom Obama lists as his closest friends (see: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-269076-obama-names-turkeys-erdogan-among-top-five-international-friends.html). On Wednesday, Erdogan told a United Nations forum in Vienna that Zionism is "a crime against humanity."

As reported by The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/02/world/europe/kerry-criticizes-turkish-prime-minister-over-zionism-remark.html?_r=0):

"On Friday night, Mr. Kerry dined at Mr. Erdogan’s residence. The session began inauspiciously when Mr. Kerry apologized for being a little late because of his lengthy discussions with Mr. Davutoglu.

Mr. Erdogan, who seemed irritated, said that Mr. Kerry and Mr. Davutoglu 'must have spoken about everything, so there is nothing left for us to talk about.'

'There’s a lot to talk about,' Mr. Kerry said. 'We actually didn’t talk about everything.'

. . . .

American officials did not provide details on the exchange regarding Mr. Erdogan’s Zionism comments or whether the Turkish prime minister believed they had in any way been excessive."

Turkey is one of the strongest supporters of the rebels fighting against Assad, and Kerry's past socializing with Assad and his wife also does not make him popular in Turkey.