McCain, Kerry talk U.S., Egyptian economies in Cairo

From Ian Lee, For CNN

U.S. Senators John Kerry, right, and John McCain give a press conference in Cairo on June 26, 2011.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

A stop in Cairo is part of a broader trip to promote U.S. economic ties
The senators are leading a delegation of American businessmen
Both McCain and Kerry spoke at a Coca-Cola plant in Cairo
They also met with Egyptian leaders

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Cairo (CNN) -- U.S. Sens. John McCain and John Kerry focused on the U.S. and Egyptian economies during a trip to Egypt Saturday and Sunday.

Their stop in Cairo was part of a broader trip to promote U.S. economic ties in the region.

"As America continues to struggle with its economic recovery, we face no more urgent priority than to expand our trade and investment in the world," McCain said in a Sunday statement. But he warned that the success or failure of Egypt's revolution will depend on the health of the Egyptian economy.

In an effort to spur U.S. investment in Egypt, Kerry and McCain led a delegation of American businessmen representing companies including General Electric, Coca-Cola, Boeing, Dow, Marriott International and Exxon Mobil.

Early Sunday morning, McCain and Kerry rang the opening bell at the Egyptian Stock Exchange in Cairo. Later in the day, the two traveled to a Coca-Cola plant within the city that supplies 46 countries with Coke products.

McCain reiterated, in a speech at the plant, America's willingness to provide Egypt with political and financial assistance during the country's transitional phase.

"The American people, on a non-partisan basis, want to see this revolution succeed," McCain said. "The American people will live in a more secure world if this revolution succeeds."

In his remarks at the plant, Kerry mentioned a new "enterprise fund" that would provide "several hundreds of millions of dollars" to help Egyptian small businesses.

Billions of dollars are needed to revive Egypt's economy, Kerry said, but the United States is willing, along with other countries, to provide assistance.

This is McCain's third trip to Egypt since the January 25 revolution that drove former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power. Kerry has also visited Egypt twice since Mubarak resigned February 11.

Their visit also included meetings with high-ranking Egyptian officials, including the head of Egypt's interim government, Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, who leads the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The two also met with Egypt's prime minister and minister of finance.

McCain reiterated the United States' desire to allow international monitors to observe Egypt's upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, which are scheduled for later this fall.

After meeting with Tantawi, both senators expressed confidence that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces would hand over power to a civilian government after the election.

"This election is an election that the world can see that there was accountability and there was transparency and that indeed the voice of the people of Egypt was heard," said Kerry.