CAIRO: European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said during a press conference in Cairo Tuesday that it was evident that the Egyptian people were demanding a clear timetable for transition to democracy. Ashton spoke at a press conference in Cairo after a series of meetings with officials from the current interim cabinet, including Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq as well as the foreign and finance ministers. Pledging EU support to Egypt during the transitional period, Ashton said it was vital that a clear timetable be set out to reflect the demands of the Egyptian people in the wake of the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak. “I think it's very important and it became very clear in the number of meetings I had that the Egyptian people see clear timetables and steps to be taken for constitutional reform that will pave the way for fair and free elections,” she said. “We stand ready, the European Union, with our international partners to find a way to be able to support the future of Egypt,” Ashton added. Though Ashton did not specify during the press conference what sort of assistance the EU was offering, in a statement released at the end of her visit, she did elaborate on its nature. “The objective is to develop a package of measures which will be comprehensive across all fields of EU engagement with a view to lending more effective support reflecting partners' commitment to reform, building on the European Neighborhood Policy and the Union for the Mediterranean,” she said in the statement. “It is important to fully respect local ownership of the reform and socio-economic development process. We are only here to support you if you request so,” she added. Ashton had also met with some opposition representatives and some youth who participated in the Jan. 25 revolution, including one youth member of the Muslim Brotherhood who according to Ashton, did not actually say anything during the meeting. Ashton also commented briefly on Libya, where she deplored the loss of life and condemned “all acts of violence.” She also urged restraint from all sides. The EU policy chief also added that she was anticipating the outcome of the extraordinary session of the UN Security Council on Libya. According to the Canadian Press, the European Union pushed Wednesday for an independent UN-led probe into the killing of protesters and other human rights abuses allegedly committed by Libyan security forces, saying they "may amount to crimes against humanity." The proposal was contained in a draft resolution tabled by EU members ahead of Friday's emergency meeting on Libya of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
