US Congratulates Morsi On ‘Milestone’ Vote

The United States congratulated Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Morsi on Sunday for his “milestone” victory and urged the Muslim Brotherhood leader to form his government carefully and respect the right of all Egyptians as he takes power.

“We congratulate the Egyptian people for this milestone in their transition to democracy,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement, calling on the new leader to ensure Egypt remains “a pillar of regional peace, security and stability.”

“We believe that it is important for President-elect Morsi to take steps at this historic time to advance national unity by reaching out to all parties and constituencies in consultations about the formation of a new government,” Carney said. He stressed the need for respect of the rights of all Egyptians, including women and religious minorities like Coptic Christians.