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 CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Egypt on Saturday sharply rejected American criticism over plans to change the constitution, reflecting the tensions between the two allies over demands for democracy here.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's comments before a visit here were a rare U.S. public criticism against Egypt after months of near silence from Washington over reform. They came amid an outcry among Egypt's opposition groups and rights groups over the planned constitutional amendments, which they say are a setback to democracy.
President Hosni Mubarak defended the amendments in a nationally televised speech on Saturday and said his government would not bend to outside "pressure, dictation or prerequisites."
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