WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says the US would not consider Egypt an ally, “but we don't consider them an enemy.” Obama said in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo that Egypt is a “new government that is trying to find its way.” And he warned that if the Egyptian government takes actions showing “they're not taking responsibility,” then it would “be a real big problem.” The White House said that Obama called the presidents of Libya and Egypt and urged them to continue working with the United States to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel. During a second call, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi promised that Egypt “would honor its obligation to ensure the safety of American personnel,” the White House said. Obama told Morsi that while “he rejects efforts to denigrate Islam ... there is never any justification for violence against innocents.” In their first conversation since Mohamed Al-Megaryef became Libya's national assembly head last month, Obama thanked him for expressing condolences for the Americans killed in the consulate attack. “He also expressed appreciation for the cooperation we have received from the Libyan government and people in responding to this outrageous attack, and said that the Libyan government must continue to work with us to assure the security of our personnel,” the White House said in a separate statement. “The President made it clear that we must work together to do whatever is necessary to identify the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice,” it said. The United States had earlier dispatched navy destroyers and Marines to Libya in the aftermath of the rocket attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other American diplomatic staff. – Agencies
