US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Sunday and said Egypt was a "vital partner" that Washington was committed to working with.

Kerry, the most senior US official to visit Egypt since the army overthrew Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July, stressed the need for fair and transparent trials for all Egyptians.

Kerry's visit happened the day before Mursi and 14 other senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders were due to go on trial charged with inciting violence. - Reuters