International reactions to Morsi's removal

04/07/2013| IslamWeb

The Egyptian army's suspension of the constitution and removal of President Mohamed Morsi has drawn mixed responses from world leaders:

European Union

The European Union has called for a rapid return to democracy in Egypt.

"I urge all sides to rapidly return to the democratic process, including the holding of free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections and the approval of a constitution, to be done in a fully inclusive manner, so as to permit the country to resume and complete its democratic transition," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement on Thursday.

Ashton said she hoped Egypt's new administration would be fully inclusive. She stressed the importance of ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law and said she would hold the authorities to account.

"I strongly condemn all violent acts, offer my condolences to the families of the victims, and urge the security forces to do everything in their power to protect the lives and well-being of Egyptian citizens," she said.

France

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday that Paris took note that elections had been announced in Egypt following a transition period after the army ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

"In a situation that has worsened seriously and with extreme tension in Egypt, new elections have finally been announced, after a transition period," Fabius said in a statement.

France hoped a timetable would be drawn up respecting "civil peace, pluralism, individual liberties and the achievements of the democratic transition, so that the Egyptian people can freely choose their leaders and their future", he added.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi King Abdullah sent a message of congratulations to the head of the Egyptian Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, on Wednesday for being appointed interim head of state after the armed forces overthrew Morsi, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

"In the name of the people of Saudi Arabia and on my behalf, we congratulate your leadership of Egypt in this critical period of its history. We pray for God to help you bear the responsibility laid upon you to achieve the ambitions of our brotherly people of Egypt," the message said.

Syria

Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday praised Egypt's protests against their leader and said his overthrow by the military means the end of "political Islam".

Assad, who is seeking to crush a revolt against his own rule, said Egyptians have discovered the "lies" of the Muslim Brotherhood.

He spoke in an interview with the state-run Al-Thawra newspaper to be printed in full Thursday.

"What is happening in Egypt is the fall of so-called political Islam," Assad said. "This is the fate of anyone in the world who tries to use religion for political or factional interests."

United Arab Emirates

The United States declined on Wednesday to criticise Egypt's military, even as it was ousting of Morsi from power.

Shortly after Egypt's army commander announced that Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president, had been deposed and the constitution suspended the US State Department expressed concern over the military intervention.

The US ordered the mandatory evacuation of its embassy in Cairo, just hours after the army deposed Morsi. A later travel advisory confirmed that "the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members from Egypt due to the ongoing political and social unrest."

US President Barack Obama released a statement saying he was deeply concerned by decision by Egyptian military to depose Morsi, and calls for a swift return to civilian government.

"No transition to democracy comes without difficulty, but in the end it must stay true to the will of the people. An honest, capable and representative government is what ordinary Egyptians seek and what they deserve," Obama said.

"The long-standing partnership between the United States and Egypt is based on shared interests and values, and we will continue to work with the Egyptian people to ensure that Egypt’s transition to democracy succeeds.”

However, the US also stopped short of calling the military intervention a coup.

Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, noted that any country involved in a coup was not entitled to aid from the US.

 

 

PHOTO CAPTION

An Egyptian man holds a poster supporting Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, with Arabic writing that reads "no alternative to legitimacy, during a rally near Cairo University in Giza, Egypt, Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

Aljazeera