Washington: Welcoming the elections in Egypt, the US has said it is unfair to assume that any party having a religious affiliation can't adhere to democratic principles, apparently referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, a key player in the Arab world's most populous nation.
"It is my understanding that the elections have gone well, and we welcome that development. The fact of the matter is the democratic process is what's important. Principles matter to this President, not parties," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
"We hold whatever party prevails or is represented in the outcome of an election like this, whether it's in Egypt or elsewhere - our standards have to do with respect for human rights, respect for the democratic process, denunciation of violence, and inclusion of and respect for minorities in the process," Carney said.
"I think it is in some ways unfair to assume that any party that has a religious affiliation cannot adhere to democratic principles. It's simply not the case and hasn't been borne out by the facts," he said.
"So before we judge the disposition of a government - or a parliament that's just beginning to take shape through elections that have started on Tuesday, I think we need to let the process run its course, continue to espouse our firm support for democratic principles and for civilian control of the government, and then judge the outcome by the actions of those who prevail," Carney said.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that the democratic future of Egypt will be decided in the ballot box.
"So as much as that message has been conveyed and the Egyptian people are now exercising their democratic right in a peaceful fashion, that will lead to real democratic change. In the long term for Egypt, that's a very good thing," he said.
"We're just happy to see that the Egyptian people are out voting, that it's peaceful, and that there's a high turnout," he said and hoped that the new Egyptian government would adhere to its international agreements and commitments.
Nine months after the end of Hosni Mubarak's autocratic rule, Egyptians on Monday turned out in large numbers to vote in the first post-revolution Parliamentary polls.
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