No plans for Burns to meet with Morsi

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns has no plans to meet ousted President Mohamed Morsi on his current visit to Egypt, said the State Department statement late Monday. "Late yesterday evening Deputy Secretary Burns, along with the foreign ministers of the UAE and Qatar as well as the EU's special representative, Bernardino Leon, visited detained Deputy guide of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Khairat Al-Shater," said Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf. "This visit was conducted in the context of ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent further violence, calm tensions and facilitate an inclusive dialogue among Egyptians that can help the transition to a democratically elected civilian government." Harf added that Burns has no return travel date, and would remain in Egypt as necessary. He is expected to meet with U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain, also in Egypt. "I can say that we're continuing to consult closely with Congress, and that includes those two senators, with whom we have had, at the highest levels, discussions about matters of national security and foreign policy," said White House Spokesman Jay Carney on Monday. "We will, of course, consult with them and other members of Congress on developments in Egypt in the days and weeks ahead." "Ultimately, the decisions on the path forward are for Egyptians alone to make, but we are assisting and facilitating this process as requested by the Egyptians," he noted.