Egypt ends travel ban in US NGO row

Egypt has decided to lift a travel ban preventing American pro-democracy activists from leaving the country, judicial sources said on Wednesday, a move that is likely to defuse a standoff that has plunged U.S.-Egyptian ties into a crisis.U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she had no confirmation that the travel ban was lifted but also said she expected the row over the activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to be resolved “in the very near future”.U.S. officials have said $1.3 billion in annual military aid has been put at risk by the case.Washington’s ties with Cairo have been a cornerstone of its Middle East policy since Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab state to sign a peace deal with Israel.It was not immediately clear when any of the activists involved would leave the country. Sixteen of the 43 people facing charges are Americans. Seven Americans are in Egypt and some of those have sought refuge in the U.S. embassy.Sources at Cairo’s international airport said a U.S. military plane had arrived from Cyprus to take the Americans out of the country but it was not clear when or if they would go to the airport.“The assistant to the attorney general, following a request from the investigating judges, has issued an order to lift the ban,” a judicial source close to the proceedings told Reuters, adding the charges have not been dropped against any of those involved.Judge Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the Cairo Appeals Court who appoints judges to the case, also confirmed to Reuters that a decision had been taken to lift the travel ban.