SCZONE chair showcases investment opportunities to US institutions, companies    Eight Arab, Muslim states reject any displacement of Palestinians    Egypt launches 32nd International Quran Competition with participants from over 70 countries    Al-Sisi reviews expansion of Japanese school model in Egypt    Egypt launches National Health Compact to expand access to quality care    Netanyahu's pick for Mossad chief sparks resignation threats over lack of experience    EU drafts central energy plan to fix grid bottlenecks and save billions    United Bank to roll out specialised healthcare financing packages, including green financing: Kashmiry    US warns NATO allies against 'bullying' American defence firms amid protectionism row    Egypt signs $121 million deal with Cheiron for oil output boost    Egypt's NUCA, SHMFF sign New Cairo land allocation for integrated urban project    Egypt declares Red Sea's Great Coral Reef a new marine protected area    Gold prices fall on Thursday    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt assumes COP24 presidency of Barcelona Convention    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Egypt extends Ramses II Tokyo Exhibition as it draws 350k visitors to date    Egypt signs host agreement for Barcelona Convention COP24 in December    Al-Sisi urges probe into election events, says vote could be cancelled if necessary    Filmmakers, experts to discuss teen mental health at Cairo festival panel    Cairo International Film Festival to premiere 'Malaga Alley,' honour Khaled El Nabawy    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ashton's Egypt visit will bring reconciliation 'progress': Brotherhood sources
A visit by the EU's Catherine Ashton could push forward reconciliation efforts between the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood, sources say
Ahram Online Published in Ahram Online on 01 - 10 - 2013

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is expected to meet with Muslim Brotherhood figures during a three-day visit to Cairo, to push for reconciliation with the transitional government.
Muslim Brotherhood sources expect Ashton's visit to Cairo, which starts on Tuesday, to bring "great progress" to reconciliation attempts. They hint that the Islamist group representatives would accept an initiative presented by Ashton during her last visit in late July if it is put forward again.
The Muslim Brotherhood and its political allies rejected the ouster of the Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi from the presidency in July following mass protests, and have held regular demonstrations against the new government.
Sources told Al-Ahram's Arabic news website that Muslim Brotherhood representatives Mohamed Bishr and Amr Darrag will meet with Ashton during her visit.
According to Al-Ahram, the two senior figures will demand an end to the arrest campaign launched by Egypt's interim government against Brotherhood leaders and members and the release of those arrested without charges, in exchange for a halt to protests.
Darrag told the Brotherhood's official website that the representatives have accepted Ashton's invitation for talks on Wednesday, but that they do not yet know what her agenda for the meeting is.
Ashton has visited the country twice since Morsi was ousted from the presidency in July. She was one of a number of international envoys who tried unsuccessfully to reduce tensions between the Islamist group and the transitional government over the summer.
Under Ashton's previous initiative, the Muslim Brotherhood would have recognised the interim roadmap announced by army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi after Morsi's ouster. The Brotherhood has consistently rejected the new political settlement and demanded Morsi's reinstatement.
On Sunday, leading Muslim Brotherhood figure Essam El-Erian, himself wanted on charges of inciting violence, called for dialogue based on the roadmap suggested by Morsi prior to his ouster, which entailed drafting constitutional amendments and holding parliament elections before the end of the year. El-Erian's statement implied that Morsi's reinstatement is still a condition to successful negotiations.
The previous Ashton initiative involves the release of Brotherhood members held without charges, a fair trial for those who were charged, and unfreezing the group's assets, in exchange for the Brotherhood rejoining political life and condemning ongoing militant activity in the restive Sinai Peninsula, which has been linked to the Islamist group as a retaliatory measure against Morsi's ouster.
Apart from her meeting with Brotherhood representatives, diplomatic sources told MENA agency earlier this week that Ashton's visit will include talks with key members of the Egyptian government, including interim President Adly Mansour, Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi, army chief and Defence Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, and Foreign Affairs Minister Nabil Fahmy, as well as Amr Moussa, head of the committee charged with amending the 2012 constitution.
Ashton will also meet with Salafist Nour Party, according to Reuters' Aswat Masriya website.
The EU strongly condemned the violent crackdown on pro-Morsi protest camps by security forces in Cairo on 14 August which led to hundreds of deaths. Ashton voiced fears at the growing levels of violence and polarisation in the country.
However, a week after her strongly worded statements, Ashton expressed the EU's readiness to offer "support, not interference" to the country and said that she is still willing to revisit Egypt as a mediator "if they wish me to come back."
Following the violence, the EU halted weapons exports to Egypt by member states.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/82928.aspx

Clic here to read the story from its source.