World Bulletin/News Desk

United States Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said that his country had hoped that Egypt would hold its parliamentary elections soon.

Speaking during a press conference beside his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shourki in the Egyptian capital Cairo, Kerry added that Egypt could play a major ideological role, being the heart and the cultural center of the Arab world.

He lauded the role played by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in bringing about calm between Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

The parliamentary elections are the third step on Egypt's political roadmap, which was approved by the nation's political forces – except for the Muslim Brotherhood – the military, and Muslim and Christian religious establishments.

The roadmap was announced upon the ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, on July 3 last year.

It included a referendum on an amended version of the 2012 constitution and then presidential elections.

The elections are expected to be held before the end of this year, the Egyptian government said last month. No specific date was, however, set for them.