GERMANY-EGYPT/MERKEL Germany's Merkel welcomes Egyptians President al-Sisi in Berlin

Record ID: 150109

  • Title: GERMANY-EGYPT/MERKEL Germany's Merkel welcomes Egyptians President al-Sisi in Berlin
  • Date: 3rd June 2015
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JUNE 03, 20159 (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS OF EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI WAVING EGYPTIAN AND GERMAN FLAGS IN FRONT OF GERMAN CHANCELLERY
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABI4LLVW91UA6KRVT5WMI9GPIP
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was welcomed by German chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday (June 3), while in front of the chancellery supporters waved Egyptian and German flags to welcome the Egyptian leader and members of 'Reporters without borders' called for al-Sisi to release detained journalists.
    "At first I would like to say that I consider the relations to Egypt as strategically very important", Merkel told reporters at a joint news conference, "Egypt is one of the central countries in a region, which is marked by unrest and instability and Germany is very interested in Egypt taking on a good economic way, so that Egypt can offer hope to its very young population and therefore a great part of our talks was taken up by economic cooperations."
    Al-Sisi welcomed the good cooperation and emphasised that his country was a democracy that is going through "difficult itmes".
    "I would like to mention at this point that in Egypt we also love democracy and freedom and we have democratic principles and values," he said.
    Reacting to Merkel's comments about an Egyptian crackdown on Islamist, secular and liberal opposition since then-army chief al-Sisi toppled elected Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule, he said: "You have your perspective, which we are respecting and we have also a perspective you should respect. I have explained to the chancellor, if we talk about punishment we have to remind you that Egypt is a constitutional state, our constitution is over 100 years old. We respect the jurisdiction and we are not discussing or putting it into question."
    On Tuesday (June 2), an Egyptian court postponed issuing a final ruling over a death sentence recommendation for Mursi and other top Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
    Egyptian activists say political dissent is being stifled as officials from former autocrat Hosni Mubarak's police state are gradually rehabilitated.
    Egypt's government says it is committed to the country's democratic transition.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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