US undersecretary of state for political affairs William Burns arrived on Monday to take stock of the situation in Egypt 10 days after the downfall of Hosni Mubarak, the US embassy in Cairo said.
Besides meeting leaders of Egypt's interim military-led administration, the Arabic-speaking veteran diplomat is to see representatives of civil society, the embassy said.
In announcing his visit last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States would offer Egypt — already a big recipient of US aid — some $150 million to help its political and economic transition.
Burns comes to Cairo as revolt in the Arab world — inspired by the 18-day uprising against longtime President Mubarak and the earlier ouster of his Tunisian counterpart — widens from the gulf to the Maghreb.