CAIRO - Australia was studying ways in which it could support the Egyptian economy, particularly its tourism sector, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said in Cairo on Sunday. He was speaking at a joint press conference after talks with Egypt's foreign minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit. Rudd said he had visited Tahrir square, the focal point of the protests that led to the resignation of president Hosny Mubarak on February 11, and congratulated Egyptians for expressing a 'strong desire to establish democracy'. Australia was prepared to work with the international community to support Egypt's economy, particularly with regards to tourism, food security, and agricultural development, Rudd said. Egypt needs economic support during this 'sensitive period' as it works towards building a democracy, Abul-Gheit said. Egypt`s armed forces, now running the country, has vowed to hold fresh parliamentary and presidential elections within six months. Rudd, who arrived in Cairo Saturday, is one of several Western leaders and diplomats have visited Egypt over the past week for talks with the caretaker government. The Australian foreign minister said he and Abul-Gheit had also discussed the unrest in neighbouring Libya. 'We are deeply concerned about the loss of life,' Rudd said, urging Libyan authorities to respect international law. 'We do not approve of any foreign military intervention in Libya, but we call on the Libyan authorities to refrain from violence and to seek an immediate settlement with the opposition,' Aboul-Gheit said. Abul-Gheit said the Egyptian government was focused on safely evacuating its citizens from Libya. Of the 1 to 1.5 million Egyptians living in Libya, tens of thousands have already fled to Egypt or Tunisia.
