(AFP Photo)
By Charlie Miller
British Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke at the House of Commons in London on Wednesday, in which he mentioned recent events in Egypt, the ongoing conflict in Syria and the recent car bomb attack in Beirut, Lebanon.
The Foreign Secretary stressed the importance of mutual respect and universal dialogue across all levels of Egyptian society. He added that the inclusion of all political parties and actors is imperative to working towards free and fair elections in an open, democratic Egypt.
“Democratic change is a process, and not an event,” he added, and confirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to providing “patient, long-term support.”
Mr Hague gave particular reference to the Deauville Partnership, a scheme introduced in 2011 by members of the G8 countries, and the UK’s Arab Partnership, which provides expertise and support to countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Libya and Morocco.
The Foreign Secretary commended interim president Adly Mansour for his recent constitutional declaration, in which a deadline of February 2014 was set for new elections, but warned again that a democratic process involves input from all political parties.
Mr Hague then proceeded to inform the House of Commons of the current situation in Syria, Libya and Beirut, but mentioned Egypt in his closing statement, noting: “We should not lose faith with the people of the region, the vast majority of whom seek prosperity and dignity for their countries.”
