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| Mohamed Morsi promises Germany he will lead Egypt on road to democracy | Mohamed Morsi promises Germany he will lead Egypt on road to democracy |
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| The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, has sought to reassure the German government that he is committed to leading his country on the road to democracy as he seeks funding and relief on €240m of debt amid concerns that his country is sliding into deeper chaos. | The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, has sought to reassure the German government that he is committed to leading his country on the road to democracy as he seeks funding and relief on €240m of debt amid concerns that his country is sliding into deeper chaos. |
| Morsi, on a whistlestop tour of Europe while deadly clashes continued in his homeland, gave his assurance that parliamentary elections would go ahead "within a few months" and that a constitutionally valid government would be on its feet "within three or four months". | Morsi, on a whistlestop tour of Europe while deadly clashes continued in his homeland, gave his assurance that parliamentary elections would go ahead "within a few months" and that a constitutionally valid government would be on its feet "within three or four months". |
| He said Egypt was on the path to becoming "a constitutional state – it will be a civil state, it will not be of military or theocratic nature – a state which will allow all range of opinions to be expressed and will enable a transition of power". | He said Egypt was on the path to becoming "a constitutional state – it will be a civil state, it will not be of military or theocratic nature – a state which will allow all range of opinions to be expressed and will enable a transition of power". |
| But German politicians made clear that financial aid was dependent on progress towards democracy, with several politicians expressing their fear that Egypt was sliding towards dictatorship. | But German politicians made clear that financial aid was dependent on progress towards democracy, with several politicians expressing their fear that Egypt was sliding towards dictatorship. |
| The chancellor, Angela Merkel, pressed the point home saying she had "made clear" to Morsi that help from Germany required Egypt's leadership to prove that it was working towards building a free society. | The chancellor, Angela Merkel, pressed the point home saying she had "made clear" to Morsi that help from Germany required Egypt's leadership to prove that it was working towards building a free society. |
| "Of most importance is that there is always a line of communication with all political powers in Egypt, that the various political powers are able to play their part, that human rights are observed … and above all that religious freedom can thrive," she said. She urged the president to give democratic developments "all the room they need" to flourish. | "Of most importance is that there is always a line of communication with all political powers in Egypt, that the various political powers are able to play their part, that human rights are observed … and above all that religious freedom can thrive," she said. She urged the president to give democratic developments "all the room they need" to flourish. |
| Morsi's tour of Europe included a short visit in Berlin, accompanied by ministers and a trade delegation. As is the custom when a state leader visits Germany for the first time, he was given a red-carpet welcome that included military honours. But the visit drew protests by human rights organisations, angry that the German government was hosting him at all. Outside the chancellery, Amnesty International paraded life-sized dolls resembling Nefertiti, the 3,300-year-old bust of the wife of an Egyptian pharaoh, the real one of which is one of Berlin's biggest tourist attractions, to protest against the human rights situation in Egypt. | Morsi's tour of Europe included a short visit in Berlin, accompanied by ministers and a trade delegation. As is the custom when a state leader visits Germany for the first time, he was given a red-carpet welcome that included military honours. But the visit drew protests by human rights organisations, angry that the German government was hosting him at all. Outside the chancellery, Amnesty International paraded life-sized dolls resembling Nefertiti, the 3,300-year-old bust of the wife of an Egyptian pharaoh, the real one of which is one of Berlin's biggest tourist attractions, to protest against the human rights situation in Egypt. |
| But the foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called for "strategic patience" with Egypt, adding "dialogue is the best possibility for influence". | But the foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called for "strategic patience" with Egypt, adding "dialogue is the best possibility for influence". |
| As well as seeking to drum up support for his country's ailing tourism industry, Morsi had been hoping for debt relief from Germany of €240m, as well as news of multimillion-pound development projects which had been in the pipeline until all the plans were frozen last month by Dirk Niebel, Germany's development minister, amid concerns about the "domestic and political developments in Egypt", and fears that a "new dictatorship" was developing. | As well as seeking to drum up support for his country's ailing tourism industry, Morsi had been hoping for debt relief from Germany of €240m, as well as news of multimillion-pound development projects which had been in the pipeline until all the plans were frozen last month by Dirk Niebel, Germany's development minister, amid concerns about the "domestic and political developments in Egypt", and fears that a "new dictatorship" was developing. |
| Merkel told Morsi that for German businesses to want to invest in the country they had to first be sure there were "stable parameters" in which they could operate. "The further Egypt develops and the more stability there is, the more German companies will become involved in Egypt," she said. | Merkel told Morsi that for German businesses to want to invest in the country they had to first be sure there were "stable parameters" in which they could operate. "The further Egypt develops and the more stability there is, the more German companies will become involved in Egypt," she said. |
| Asked during a press conference to explain whether he still stuck by comments he made referring to Israelis as "the descendants of apes and pigs" and "bloodsuckers", Morsi said the remarks had been taken out of context. "My comments were about conduct that sheds blood and kills innocent people, things that neither I as a Muslim … or any believer condones," he said. | Asked during a press conference to explain whether he still stuck by comments he made referring to Israelis as "the descendants of apes and pigs" and "bloodsuckers", Morsi said the remarks had been taken out of context. "My comments were about conduct that sheds blood and kills innocent people, things that neither I as a Muslim … or any believer condones," he said. |
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