GERMANY: U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle call on Egypt to immediately start peaceful transition to democracy

Record ID: 560425

  • Title: GERMANY: U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle call on Egypt to immediately start peaceful transition to democracy
  • Date: 5th February 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON, SAYING: "I sincerely hope that today's demonstration will take place without violence from any side. We have seen too much violence for the last few days and also bloodshed. Now it's the time for Egyptians to begin a process of peaceful and orderly transition leading to free and fair elections, respecting the genuine will of Egyptian people expressed so far through their demonstrations. United Nations stand ready to assist in this process." CLOSE OF CAMERA BAN AND WESTERWELLE SHAKING HANDS CLOSE OF CAMERA BAN AND WESTERWELLE LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4P29OZUYECW6WKN0I3VTSOQ7M
  • Story Text: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon met in Berlin on Friday (February 4) for talks about the recent developments in Egypt.
    At a news conference after their meeting, Westerwelle expressed his deep concern about violent acts against demonstrators and foreign journalists.
    "These violent acts against peaceful demonstrators, foreign journalists or observers are not acceptable at all. We dismiss them very clearly and decidedly. Assaults on peaceful demonstrators and journalists have to stop immediately," he said.
    Both Westerwelle and Ban urged Egypt to start a peaceful dialogue for an immediate transition to democracy.
    "Now it's the time for change. A transition to democracy must start now with a peaceful dialogue", Westerwelle said. "We stand on the side of those who defend human rights and democratic values, but once again it is up to the Egyptian people to decide who will govern Egypt," he added.
    "Now it's the time for Egyptians to begin a process of peaceful and orderly transition leading to free and fair elections, respecting the genuine will of Egyptian people expressed so far through their demonstrations. United Nations stand ready to assist in this process," Ban added.
    On his visit to Germany, Ban is going to participate in the security conference in Munich on Saturday (February 5), where he is scheduled to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
    In Cairo on Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered in the city's Liberation Square to press for an end to Mubarak's 30-year rule, hoping their numbers would swell to a million in what they called the "Day of Departure."
    Mubarak says he is willing to retire but, having portrayed himself as a bulwark against radical Islam in the most populous Arab state, has warned of chaos if he goes now.
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