The White House on Sunday urged Egypt's newly elected president to respect the rights of religious minorities, amid concerns that the Muslim Brotherhood candidate's win marked a shift toward Islamist rule. 

In a written statement, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney congratulated Mohammed Morsi on his victory. 

"We look forward to working together with President-elect Morsi and the government he forms, on the basis of mutual respect, to advance the many shared interests between Egypt and the United States," Carney said. 

But he urged Morsi to take steps to "advance national unity" in forming a new government, and protect the country's non-Muslim population. 

"We believe in the importance of the new Egyptian government upholding universal values, and respecting the rights of all Egyptian citizens -- including women and religious minorities such as Coptic Christians," Carney said.