FM Fahmy: Ashton didn't propose any reconciliation plan

Ahram Online , Wednesday 31 Jul 2013

Interim foreign minister says EU foreign policy chief visit to Egypt did not lead to reconciliation deal, plans for Nile crisis talks with Ethiopian and Sudanese counterparts after Ramadan

Minister of foreign affairs Nabil Fahmy
Minister of foreign affairs Nabil Fahmy (Photo:AP)

Egypt's interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy has revealed that EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton did not suggest any reconciliation plan or deal during her three-day visit to Cairo.

In a meeting held with journalists at the ministry of foreign affairs on Wednesday, Fahmy stated that Ashton came to Egypt in order to understand the situation in the country through her meetings with different parties and groups and to "suggest ideas."

Catherine Ashton flew into Cairo for talks Monday and met different groups and parties in Egypt as well as ousted president Mohamed Morsi in his detention.

Do not underestimate the meetings that took place or will take place between foreign delegations and the ousted president Mohamed Morsi, Fahmy stressed.

Besides Ashton, a delegation from African Union Wise Men Committee also visited Morsi on Tuesday.

"Ashton requested to meet Morsi in order to explain the European vision and point of views for the situation in Egypt. The same thing happened during the visit of African Wise Men with the ousted president, where they explained their African point of view on what is happening in Egypt," said the Egyptian foreign affairs minister.

The minister also denied claims that these visits are considered an interference in Egyptian internal affairs.

Fahmy also spoke about his meeting with the Eritrean minister of foreign affairs in Cairo as well his calls with the Ethiopian foreign minister and Sudanese foreign minister in order to discuss the latest developments in the Nile crisis.

Nabil Fahmy revealed that he invited his Sudanese and Ethiopia counterparts for a meeting that is possibly going to be held after Ramadan. 

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