Ambassador Rice: Egypt must release Americans

[February 06, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is keeping up the Obama administration's pressure on Egypt to release 19 Americans facing trial on allegations of encouraging unrest in the country.

Susan Rice tells the "CBS This Morning" show the U.S. citizens involved in the dispute have been working with efforts to build a more democratic society and "have done absolutely nothing wrong."

Her statement comes in the wake of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's warning Saturday that Egypt could face a cutoff of U.S. financial aid because of the problem.

Asked about what efforts remain under way to resolve the problem, Rice said Washington has been talking to Cairo constantly, including "in the last days and hours." She also said the situation "has serious consequences for our bilateral relationship."

[Associated Press]

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