EU Diplomats Deliberate Response to Egypt Violence
Local Editor
The European Union will review its relations with Egypt, according to a joint statement by President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso.
The European Union offered condolences to the families of the victims in Egypt and expressed worry to the recent development and increase of violence.
The death toll of the Egyptian clashes between security forces and supporters of the ousted Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi have reached more than a thousand nationwide.
The statement warned that further escalation must be prevented, because it could have unpredictable consequences for Egypt and for its broader neighborhood.
While stressing that there is no alternative to dialogue, the joint statement called on all Egyptian political forces to recommit to the country's democratic future and engage in a political process leading to the early holding of elections and the establishment of a civilian government.
"In cooperation with its international and regional partners, the EU will remain firmly engaged in efforts to promote an end to violence, resumption of political dialogue and return to a democratic process. To this effect, together with its Member States, the EU will urgently review in the coming days its relations with Egypt and adopt measures aimed at pursuing these goals," the statement read.
Egypt security forces on Friday surrounded a Cairo mosque where Brotherhood supporters were holed up, with each side accusing the other of opening fire.
Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters protested across Egypt, sparking violence that turned parts of Cairo into battlefields after police authorized the use of live ammunition.
The clashes came two days after 578 people were killed in Egypt as police cleared two Cairo protest camps set up by loyalists of Mursi, in the country's bloodiest day in decades.
That crackdown drew strong condemnation from the international community, and EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton called Friday for the bloc to adopt "appropriate measures" in response.
Source: News Agencies, edited by website team
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