UK endorses Egypt interim government future map for 1st time

[DJKeefy]

UK endorses Egyptian interim government 'future map' for 1st time.

A UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokesperson told Ahram Online Saturday that his government is "working with the [Egyptian] interim government to encourage an inclusive democratic transition."

Asked about his government’s view of the roadmap adopted nearly five months ago following Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's ouster, the FCO spokesperson said: "We support the process which is currently taking place."

He also affirmed the UK does not back any specific political party or group in Egypt as it "strongly supports an inclusive political system which allows all groups in society to be represented and in which freedom of expression is respected."

When the military deposed Morsi on 3 July amid mass nationwide protests against his rule, British Prime Minister David Cameron had said: "We never support in countries the intervention by the military, but what needs to happen now in Egypt is for democracy to flourish and for a genuine democratic transition to take place."

Although Morsi and his supporters continue to argue that elections are the only legitimate route to government change, Cameron has expressed that democracy is not only about ballot boxes.

"Freedom of expression will be essential to achieving a successful transition in Egypt," the spokesman said.

He added that his government had noted the concerns of the UN and civil society organisations regarding the new protest law. "We encourage the Egyptian authorities to address these concerns," the spokesman said.

The UK, however, is adopting a different position on the law than the UN and the US officials who strongly criticised it as a violation of human rights unaligned with international standards.

The UK believes it is important that the implementation of the law allows for freedom of expression to be exercised. Confirming his country's engagement with the Egyptian interim government, the spokesman said the UK "trusts the law will allow for this necessary freedom."

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/87952.aspx

[Brian Yare]

interesting, but why no name?

[Bombay]

The UK Ambassador said something like this a couple of months ago.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33069

[Hafiz]

The hypocrisy and illogicality:

'democracy is not only about ballot boxes" then what is a democracy without ballot boxes?

"Freedom of expression will be essential to achieving a successful transition in Egypt," - and he thinks the demonstration killings the Tv station closures, the political arrests (2000?) never happened. How can you achieve a transition to democracy on these foundations. The transition, in any case, will be to a (as yet draft) constitution which is deeply flawed on freedoms.

Opposing the new law on expression maybe a calculated diversion from the bigger issue of the draft constitutional provision which appears so loose and subject to subsequent laws on free expression that trucks could drive through it. No UK communique about this.

Better to be honest - we (the UK) didn't much like Morsi but weren't going to do anything and couldn't have done anything even if we wanted. The recent coup was something we couldn't stop (and probably didn't see coming - a bit like the removal of Mubarak) so, rather than look stupid and impotent, we stayed quiet about it and when everyone at home had forgotten we accepted the inevitable and spun it as a transition to democracy not a coup. There is almost nothing we can do except to manipulate the media at home so that we look masterfully inactive: and usually the public swallows this. Our ability to affect the situation is limited, not enhanced, by being the former colonial power (remember Suez with 2,000 to 3,000 Egyptian dead). Privately we defer to our great and powerful friend, Saudi Arabia and to their rich gulf friends, who are now the only ones with influence in Egypt and who support the coup (and loathe the brotherhood) and we will not oppose their interests in Egypt unless the situation get really bad and we need to posture virtue to our electors.

My guess, and its only a guess, is that the EU and US position is similar.

Meanwhile masterful and studied inaction.

Don't understand 'why no name' given the by-line Sultan. Is this 'journalist' a fake?