EU to ‘review’ relations with Egypt

The European Union will “urgently review in the coming days its relations with Egypt,” in the wake of violence that engulfed the country over the last days, it said in a statement Sunday.

The EU said it is “distressed at the loss of lives,” and lamented the failure of mediation efforts, to which it contributed, and that “a course of confrontation was instead pursued.”

The EU maintained that there is no alternative to dialogue and that Egyptian political forces must pave the way for a democratic future and hold early elections to establish a civilian government. It also called on the army to “respect and support such a political process.”

In the statement, the EU called on all parties to exercise self-restraint but highlights the interim government’s responsibility as well as that of the army in containing the clashes, adding that human rights must be upheld and political prisoners released.

In cooperation with its international and regional partners, the EU said it will remain firmly engaged in efforts to promote an end to violence, resumption of political dialogue and return to a democratic process, the statement read.

Clashes raged between deposed President Mohamed Morsi's supporters and security forces across the country on Friday, as the Muslim Brotherhood organized the protests under the name of "the Friday of Wrath," two days following the forcible dispersal of their sit-ins by the army and the police.

The Cabinet placed the death toll from Friday’s nationwide clashes at 137, 95 of whom were killed in Cairo, and said that 1330 people were also injured across Egypt. Until a few days ago, death tolls and injury rates were released by the Ministry of Health.

This adds to the death toll that resulted from the forcible dispersal of the sit-ins and the clashes that ensued across Egypt, which left over 600 people killed and thousands injured.

Since the dispersal of the sit-ins on Wednesday, 57 policemen were also killed, and 563 injured.

Last Thursday, countries began declaring punitive measures in reaction to the clashes. France and Germany both summoned Egyptian ambassadors to their capitals to voice their disapproval of the violence.

The German government also announced it was suspending 25 million euros in aid to Egypt for climate and environmental protection projects.

Denmark reacted by suspending its development aid to Egypt. Christian Friis Bach, the Danish development aid minister, told media that the suspension of funds was a response to "the bloody events and the very regrettable turn that the development of democracy has taken in Egypt."

Denmark collaborates with the Egyptian government on two projects with a total budget of US$5.3 million.