I had the opportunity to speak by phone a few days ago with the new Foreign Minister of Egypt, who briefed me on the situation and the timeframe decided on by the transitional government for the initiatives aimed at restoring democratic order. And on Friday, in Ankara, I talked with Ahmet Davutoglu in depth about the situation in Egypt.
The draft conclusions, in the latest version, nearly achieve a difficult balance between the European policy of principles and the need to realistically confront a difficult transitional period in Egypt. Egypt is a key country for many, many issues, for the Arab spring as a whole, for the Middle East peace process, for stability in the Mediterranean.
The principles that govern the European perception of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights must be respected. But we need to look at how they are linked practically with a complex country like Egypt, with its internal contradictions and religious stratifications.
The first stage of the transitional period could not be completed. Now, a second stage has begun; a stage that we must support. It is necessary for us to help stabilize the situation so as to avert, at all costs, the escalation of violence and, to an even greater extent, a slide into some form of civil conflict. Thus, with today’s conclusions, we are sending a message that is clear as to its principles and values, as well as creative from the perspective of accurate assessment of the real situation in Egypt.
July 22, 2013