Photo from the European Union external action service
The European Union Political and Security Committee (PSC) have decided to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on Wednesday to discuss the crisis in Egypt.
Special Envoy for the Southern Mediterranean Region Bernardino León confirmed that the PSC did not discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on Egypt.
The extraordinary meeting of the PSC took place on Monday in Belgium, bringing together representatives from EU member states.
Following the meeting León spoke briefly to reporters and confirmed that during the meeting “no options were ruled out” adding that the possibility of imposing sanctions on Egypt was not discussed. He stressed that there is still the possibility of a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
León confirmed that EU High Representative for High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton is expected to present a list of proposals of how to respond to the crisis in Egypt to the foreign ministers from EU states at a meeting on Wednesday. This meeting was announced earlier on Monday.
The special envoy said: “There has a strong convergence of member states on the importance of Egypt, the importance of the situation in Egypt today and on the importance of the EU remaining close to Egyptians.”
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary William Hague, who will attend the meeting on Wednesday, spoke to the BBC on Monday. He said that the EU foreign ministers “we should review together how we try to aid Egypt and what aid and assistance we can give to Egypt in the future.” He added: “We have to respond seriously without excluding future assistance or removing all influence on the situation.”
He said the UK’s attitude towards Egypt’s interim government has changed since it came to power following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi at the beginning of July.
Hague described the situation is “very bleak” and said that the UKs influence is limited in Egypt adding: “There may be years of turbulence.”
On moving forward in Egypt he said the UK can assist by “supporting institutions, not taking sides and promoting dialogue.” He reiterated that the UK had “suspended projects with Egyptian security forces [and] we have revoked a number of export licenses.”
León recently spent several days in Egypt meeting with many of the major political stakeholders including figures in the interim government and representatives of the Anti-Coup Alliance. His meetings were part of an intense diplomatic effort supported by the United States, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Since León and other foreign diplomats departed from Egypt at the beginning of August at least 1265 people have been killed in violent clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and the security forces, according to an independent count.
Foreign involvement in the crisis in Egypt has not been warmly welcomed by the interim government. Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Fahmy said on Sunday that Egypt “is open to feedback from the international community” but any attempt to impose a solution would only deepen the already rampant polarization in Egypt. He also said that any threat to cut aid to Egypt is “unacceptable”.
Ahmed El-Moslimany, the presidency’s media advisor said the presence of foreign diplomats at the beginning of August “exceed[ed] diplomatic norms”.
