Egypt FM, Kushner meeting cancelled

Egypt cancels meetings with Donald Trump adviser Jared Kushner in Cairo after US decision to cut aid to Egypt.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has cancelled meeting US President Donald Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, a copy of his schedule sent out to journalists showed.

A Foreign Ministry official told Reuters Wednesday's meeting had been cancelled but did not provide a reason. A US embassy official in Cairo said Kushner's meeting with Shoukry had never been set in stone because "the schedule was never fixed."

Shoukry had been scheduled to meet with a US delegation led by Kushner to discuss the Middle East peace process.

Kushner is still expected meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi in Cairo later on Wednesday.

Two US sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday that US authorities would deny Egypt $US95.7 million ($A121.2 million) in aid and delay a further $US195 million payment over its failure to make progress on respecting human rights and democratic norms.

"Egypt sees this measure as reflecting poor judgment of the strategic relationship that ties the two countries over long decades and as adopting a view that lacks an accurate understanding of the importance of supporting Egypt's stability," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The decision could have "negative implications" on achieving common goals and interests between the two countries, it added.

Last year, al-Sissi welcomed Trump's election, hoping the new president would "breathe a new spirit into Egyptian-US relations" after ties with the administration of former president Barack Obama became strained.

The 2013 military-led ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt prompted Washington briefly to halt some military aid to Cairo, although that was later restored.


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Source: AAP


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