Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged a "full transition to civilian rule" during the first visit by a senior US official to Egypt since elections last month.
Clinton spoke to the new president, Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, at an hour-long meeting which was described as candid and cordial by a US official.
"I have come to Cairo to reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Egyptian people and their democratic transition.
"We want to be a good partner and we want to support the democracy that has been achieved by the courage and sacrifice of the Egyptian people." she said to reporters after the meeting.
Clinton also said she would meet the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Field Marshal Mohammad Hussein Tantawi on Sunday.
She praised the role of the military in ruling the country after the fall of Mubarak, but added that the US supports the return of civilian rule and for the armed forces to take on a “a purely military role".
