GERMANY: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for immediate elections in Egypt

Record ID: 561452

  • Title: GERMANY: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for immediate elections in Egypt
  • Date: 5th February 2011
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 4, 2011) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** WIDE LECTURING HALL AT HUMBOLDT UNIVERSITY IN BERLIN CLOSE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON AUDIENCE BAN KI-MOON WALKING TO LECTERN VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING "Regrettably, the situation during the last few days have taken a deeply troubling turn. The violence and intimidation should stop. In particular, the restriction on the international media, journalists and human rights groups are utterly unacceptable. Freedom of expression and assembly are basic human rights. These are fundamental principals of democracy which have to be guaranteed." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING "I renew my call again as the Secretary General of the United Nations for calm and restraint and I urge the Egyptian authorities to listen to the genuine voices of the people. Since the beginning of the Tunisian situation I have been stating publicly the leader of the world should more attentively listen to the challenges of the genuine voices." VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING "The process must allow the Egyptian people to allow to express their wishes through free, fair and credible elections at the earliest possible moment. And that will pave the way for responsive, effective and accountable governance. The process should start now, immediately." WIDE KI-MOON AT LECTERN
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEXX43WHO30GYQ9ETMUO89FJEG
  • Story Text: Attacks on journalists and human rights activists covering the unrest in Egypt were "outrageous and totally unacceptable" and must "stop now," UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on Friday (February 4).
    Ban was speaking in Berlin to students of the Humboldt University after talks with German President Christian Wulff on Thursday (February 3).
    "I once again strongly urge the Egyptian authorities to listen to the voice of the people, and immediately start real change," said Ban.
    "Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly should be fully guaranteed," he insisted.
    Ban is due to meet Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Berlin on Wednesday before travelling to Munich for an international security conference which is expected to be dominated by the situation in Egypt.
    Ban called for "immediate" elections and reiterated that change in Egypt must happen sooner that later and that a change of government is in the cars.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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