US says Egypt failing to meet protest concerns

Egypt must do more to meet protesters' demands for political change, the United States said in a sharp escalation of rhetoric with one of its most important allies in the Middle East.

Washington is waiting for "real, concrete" moves to speed the transition, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said after Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit suggested the United States was eager to impose its will on Cairo.

"What you see happening on the streets of Cairo is not all that surprising when you see the lack of steps that their government has taken to meet their concerns," Gibbs said.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak held meetings at the White House as the United States and another key ally weighed the impact of Egypt's crisis on stability in the Middle East.

US Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday set out steps Egypt must take in the face of unrelenting protests against President Hosni Mubarak, bluntly telling his government to stop harassing protesters and immediately repeal an emergency law allowing detention without charge.

The demands appeared aimed at raising pressure on Mubarak's handpicked vice president, Omar Suleiman, the former intelligence chief who is negotiating with opposition figures demanding Mubarak's immediate ouster.