CAIRO: United States President Barack Obama has invited his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Morsi to visit the US for an official visit in September, Deputy Secretary of State William Perez said he delivered the message during his meetings with the president on Sunday. For the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Morsi, this would be the first visit ever to the US by a Brotherhood member in an official capacity. Obama previously congratulated Morsi for his victory in Egypt's first-ever presidential elections. Obama also confirmed his country's commitment towards democratic development in Egypt and the economy, offering his country's support. Obama made a congratulatory phone call when the results were announced late last month. For his part Morsi sent a thank you note to the American president with Perez. The Brotherhood, which was banned from political work for the past 60 years, are now holding Egypt's top position, and were previously banned from holding talks with the US. After the fall of now jailed President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year iron rule, the group swept voting in the parliamentary elections and the presidential race when Morsi was up against military man Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's last prime minister. Despite the ban, the highly organized group had held meetings and talks with the US in recent years, maintaining relations with them. Morsi affirmed upon taking power that he would respect all treaties Egypt has inked, which include the controversial 1979 Camp David peace treaty with Israel. The Brotherhood are avid supporters of the Palestinian cause and led many urgent convoys to Gaza to break the siege on the one and a half million people suffering under the blockade of its borders. Yet, the group, who are old political players, knew the importance of not creating any conflicts with Israel while the country is still getting itself together.
