UK Supports Egypt’s Elections In 2014

The UK government has expressed its support for the presidential and parliamentary elections which will be held in Egypt if the constitutional amendments are endorsed.

“The UK continues to support the Egyptian people to choose their government in elections in 2014,” UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told Ahram Online correspondent in London Amer Sultan, adding that the political future of Egypt belongs to the Egyptian people.

The UK hopes 2014 elections will be a step forward in achieving stability.

However, the UK government has repeatedly advised the Egyptian authorities to work for reconciliation and an inclusive political process since the overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi more than six months ago.

“The UK government believes stability and security are best served in Egypt by bringing all Egyptians into the mainstream political process,” the spokesperson said.

In the same vein, London also believes that the Muslim Brotherhood shouldn’t be ruled out of the political process after the ouster of Morsi.

As the UK last week refused to endorse the Egyptian government’s decision to designate the Brotherhood a terrorist organisation, its Foreign and Commonwealth Office asserted that the Brotherhood is an entirely legal organisation in the UK.

The office spokesperson nevertheless reiterated that the UK government “has been clear that [it does] not support any political party in Egypt.”

Ahram Online understands that the UK authorities have been in contact with Brotherhood representatives in London and Cairo since Morsi’s removal, but the spokesperson said his government “has not had contact with the Brotherhood relating to their listing as a terrorist organisation [in Egypt].”

Source : Ahram