CAIRO – Egypt rejected American efforts yesterday to win international support for a clampdown on aid to the Palestinian Authority when Hamas ministers take power, arguing that the radical Islamic group should be given time to accept Israel.

“I’m sure that Hamas will develop, will evolve. We should not prejudge the issue,” Egypt’s foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, told reporters at a news conference with Secretary of State Rice, who arrived here on the first leg of a Middle East tour to line up support for the American position.

Egypt does not provide much aid to the Palestinian Arabs but has broad influence in the Arab world on Israeli-Palestinian issues, so the rebuff could hamper Ms. Rice’s efforts to build a united front against the rise of Hamas. Today, Ms. Rice flies to Saudi Arabia and will address officials from Arab countries in the Persian Gulf on Thursday in the United Arab Emirates.

The lengthy news conference with Mr. Aboul Gheit, filled with banter and cross talk by the two diplomats, underscored the daunting and at times contradictory challenge Ms. Rice faces as she tries to fashion an international response to Hamas’s unexpected victory in Palestinian legislative elections. In effect, she urged pressure on the victor of an election she has hailed as fair and transparent, while seeking the support of an autocratic government that she has demanded must become more free.

Addressing Egypt’s faltering steps toward an open political system, Ms. Rice spoke vaguely of “disappointments and setbacks.” Yet she only mentioned the case of jailed activist Ayman Nour – whom she championed last year – when prompted by a question. And she praised President Mubarak, who critics say manipulated elections last year to ensure the defeat of secular, moderate parties, as “a president who has sought the consent of the governed.”

Before Ms. Rice arrived here this afternoon, government-owned newspapers heaped scorn on her for appearing to meddle in Egypt’s internal affairs.

Hamas, formally known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, holds a majority in the new Palestinian legislature that was seated on Saturday and will form a cabinet over the next few weeks. But the group is listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department, making it all but impossible for America to provide anything beyond humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian Authority now that Hamas has a role in government. Already, the Bush administration has demanded the return of $50 million in direct aid from the authority, while Israel over the weekend halted monthly payments of roughly $50 million in tax and customs revenues.

The administration has suggested aid could be continued until Hamas cabinet ministers formally are part of the Palestinian government. But then the aid spigot largely would be shut if Hamas takes power and does not recognize Israel or support a two-state peace plan.

American officials say such pressure will force Hamas to meet those conditions. But other countries, particularly in the Middle East, say that approach will only increase Palestinian Arabs’ suffering and force Hamas to seek funding from other sources, such as Iran. European countries – especially Russia – have also been ambivalent about the American approach.

Ms. Rice, who is to meet Mr. Mubarak today, also met for 45 minutes with Egypt’s intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, who has wide connections in Hamas and the Palestinian world. She will also meet with Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief and has brought to her meetings the Treasury Department’s top official on terrorist financing, Undersecretary Stuart Levey.

At the news conference, Mr. Aboul Gheit appeared to draw a distinction between the emerging Hamas-led cabinet and the Palestinian Authority presidency held by Mahmoud Abbas, suggesting that aid could continue indefinitely because Mr. Abbas wants to negotiate peace with Israel. “It is called the authority,” he said. “And we support the authority,” adding that Mr. Abbas “is the head of the authority, and his powers are still there.”

Mr. Aboul Gheit reiterated “it’s only a matter of time” before Hamas recognizes the need to accept Israel and negotiate a peace settlement. Hamas leaders, however, have adamantly rejected that move, saying the most they could consider at this point is a longterm truce if Israel withdraws from all the territory it occupied after the 1967 Middle East war.