EU diplomat: Egyptian army rejected peace plan
EU
diplomat: Egyptian army rejected peace plan
Muslim
Brotherhood protester in Cairo on Thursday. Reports indicate some deaths were
caused by snipers (Photo: Globovision)
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2.
BRUSSELS
- The EU's special envoy to the Middle East, Bernardino Leon, has said the
Egyptian army rejected a peace deal with the Muslim Brotherhood a few hours
before the killing in Cairo began.
He
told Reuters that he and US diplomat William Burns in recent days brokered an
agreement between the military and the brothers on how to end their month-long
sit-ins in two city squares.
"We
had a political plan that was on the table, that had been accepted by the other
side [the brotherhood] … They [the army] could have taken this option. So all
that has happened today was unnecessary," he said.
He
noted that he made a final appeal on the peace plan to military chiefs "hours"
before they ordered the assault, at 7am local time on Wednesday (14 August),
using armoured bulldozers and live ammunition against people in tent
camps.
For
her part, EU foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton made three statements as
events unfolded.
The
first one, issued by a spokesman at noon, called on all sides to show
restraint.
The
second one, a few hours later, urged "security forces to exercise utmost
restraint" and told protesters to "avoid further provocations and
escalation."
The
final statement, on Wednesday evening, called on the army to "exercise utmost
restraint," with no mention of the protesters' role.
By
the time the third one came out, 525 people, including 43 policemen, were dead,
and 3,572 people were injured, according to Egyptian authorities. More than
2,000 protesters had been killed, according to a pro-brotherhood group, the
Egypt Anti-Coup Alliance.
The
dead include Asmaa el-Beltagy, the 17-year-old daughter of a Muslim Brotherhood
leader, Mohamed el-Beltagy, who was himself arrested the same day. They also
include Mick Deane, a 61-year-old British cameraman for Sky News.
The
army later imposed a state of emergency which is to last one month. It also
imposed a curfew, which expired at 6am on Thursday.
Reports
indicate that Cairo is calm on Thursday morning.
But
Anu Pulkkinen, Finland's top diplomat in the city, told Finnish press the
atmosphere is "extremely unstable" and that it is hard to move around due to
army checkpoints.
More
violence?
Despite
the crackdown, the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy, another
pro-brotherhood group, has called for fresh, nationwide, protests.
The
brothers' el-Beltagy, shortly before his arrest, compared the situation to the
civil war in Syria.
The
resignation from government of Mohamed ElBaradei, the leader of Egypt's liberal
movement, which had previously backed the army, also signals a splintering of
political forces.
"The
beneficiaries of what happened today are the preachers of violence and
terrorism, the most extremist groups," he said in an open
letter.
With
some Muslims attacking Christian churches in the belief that Christians and
Western states are in league with the army, ElBaradei added that Egypt's "social
fabric [is] in danger of tearing."
Washington
has echoed the EU in criticising the Egyptian military.
"The
United States strongly condemns the use of violence against protesters in Egypt
… We have repeatedly called on the Egyptian military and security forces to show
restraint," a White House spokesman said.
But
neither the US or the EU has spoken of suspending financial aid to the post-coup
state or of other action.
German
foreign minister Guido Westerwelle said, while visiting Tunisia, it is too early
to create a new EU policy.
Britain's
William Hague "condemned the use of force in clearing protests," but said
nothing on funding.
France's
Laurent Fabius appealed to "all parties" to end confrontation. Italy's Emma
Bonino called on the military to avoid another "bloodbath." But neither one said
what their countries might do next.
Denmark
blocks aid
Meanwhile,
Denmark and Norway took the lead in terms of reactions.
Denmark
suspended two bilateral aid programmes worth €30 million and Norway has halted
arms sales to Egypt.
The
strongest statements came from two Islamic powers in the region.
Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Western "silence" on the Egyptian
army's unseating of brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi in July and on earlier
killings of Muslim brothers for Thursday's deaths.
"It
is clear that the international community, by supporting the military coup, and
remaining silent over previous massacres ... has encouraged the current
administration to carry out today's intervention," he said.
Echoing
the brotherhood's el-Beltagy on Syria, Iran's foreign ministry said:
"Undoubtedly, the current approach ... strengthens the likelihood of civil war
in this great Islamic country."
This
story was updated to cite Egypt's latest official figures on the death
toll
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