State Department: U.S. in 'Constant Contact' with Muslim Brotherhood

On March 14, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf acknowledged once again that the United States has been having an ongoing dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. 

She was asked, “The second question is: The State Department has recently said that it is in constant contact with the Muslim Brotherhood, as with the other political groups, you see?” 

Harf answered in the affirmative.

The moderator continued, “So do you think that these contacts have any effect on the United States’ relations with Egypt? And are these just mere contacts or support?”

Harf responded:

Well, they’re contacts, and let’s just – I’ll put it in a little context here. We think it’s important to have contacts with all the parties in Egypt, because all the parties in Egypt ultimately are going to need to be a part of Egypt’s future, and that we want to help them be a part of that future and move Egypt out of the situation it’s in today. So we think this is important to do. Do we always agree, do they always agree with what we’re saying? Of course not. But we believe it’s important to have the dialogue.

On February 13, The Cairo Post reported:

Harf said that contact between the embassy and Brotherhood is ongoing, and this is in the context of the U.S.’s attempts to enter dialogue with all parties of the political process in Egypt. 

“The United Sates does not rank the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group,” she added.