美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿提醒美国外交官支持公民社会和人权组织的必要性。公民社会和人权组织遭到在中东和北非地区政府的打击。星期二，希拉里.克林顿在华盛顿对一组美国驻外大使说，帮助动荡国家的那些促进“普世”人权的组织是美国外交政策的基石之一。克林顿承认，一些国家抨击美国资助的人权组织或对这些组织采取法律行动，这些国家声称这些组织代表着不可接受的外国干预。
最引人注目的是，埃及当局去年12月控告参与国际争取民主组织活动的16名美国人煽动骚乱以及接受非法外国资金。克林顿说，正在向民主过渡的很多国家对这些组织提出合理的质疑，但她表示，这些组织并不是要制造动乱，它们对维持民主是不可或缺的。
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reminded U.S. diplomats of the need for support of civil society and human-rights organizations that have come under fire by governments in the Middle East and North Africa. Clinton told a group of American ambassadors gathered Tuesday in Washington that support for groups promoting "universal" human rights in restrictive countries is a fundamental part of U.S. foreign policy. Clinton acknowledged a number of governments have spoken out or taken legal action against U.S.-funded rights groups, saying they represent unacceptable foreign interference.
Most notably, Egyptian authorities in December charged 16 Americans involved with international pro-democracy organizations with stoking unrest and receiving illegal foreign funds. Though she said many countries that are making transitions to democracy have "legitimate questions" about these organizations, Clinton said that such groups are not aimed at creating unrest, but are essential for sustaining democracy.
