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US Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States wants Egypt’s interim¹ government to succeed. At a joint² press conference in Washington on Tuesday with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy, Kerry called Egypt’s new constitution a positive step. But he also described the recent mass death sentence recommendation on Muslim Brotherhood³ supporters as "troubling".

"We want the interim government to be successful. We are hopeful and look for a political process of inclusivity, a constitution implemented⁴ which brings people politically to the table and broadens the democratic base of Egypt. Egypt’s constitution is a positive step forward. It has taken steps and they are moving now to an election, but even as these positive steps have been taken we all know there have been disturbing decisions within the judicial⁵ process, the court system, that have raised serious challenges for all of us," John Kerry said. 

Kerry’s comments came a day after an Egyptian judge recommended death sentences for 683 people in a mass trial. The defendants⁶ are all charged in connection with an attack on a police station in Minya last year, in which one policeman was killed. Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy, refused to directly comment on the sentencing decision. But he said he's confident that due process will be followed and that the legal system will ultimately arrive at the proper decision. 

Tuesday’s meeting in Washington follows last week's announcement by the Obama administration that it will partly resume military aid to Egypt, six months after cutting off aid in the wake of the ousting⁷ of former president Mohamad Morsi. Washington is set to deliver 10 Apache helicopters to Cairo and has notified Congress of its intention to send 650-million US Dollars to Egypt to help fund weapons systems.