Egypt crisis ‘most important event of 21st century’ – Hague

The foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the impact of the bloody crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi might be felt “for decades”.

He was speaking as EU ambassadors meet in Brussels to discuss the situation in Egypt.

“What is happening now in the Middle East is the most important event so far of the 21st century, even compared to the financial crisis we have been through and its impact on world affairs,” he said.

The calls for democracy and fundamental freedoms from the Egyptian population cannot be disregarded, much less washed away in blood. Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman van Rompuy

“I think it will take years, maybe decades, to play out, and through that we have to keep our nerve in clearly supporting democracy, democratic institutions, promoting dialogue and there will be many setbacks in doing that and we should be surprised when they take place.”

But the Conservative minister added that he did not agree that “there is nothing we can do about it”.

“It is a very bleak situation, it is hard to under-estimate the hate and distrust on both sides of the politics in Egypt,” he said.

“But I would not accept… there is nothing at all we can do about it. Our influence may be limited – it is a proudly independent country – and there may be years of turbulence in Egypt and other countries going through this profound debate about the nature of democracy and the role of religion in their society.

“We have to do our best to promote democratic institutions and political dialogue and to keep faith with the majority of Egyptians who just want a peaceful and stable country.”

Fresh deaths

At least 36 prisoners were killed on Sunday as they were transported to a prison in northern Egypt, and early on Monday 24 police were reported to have been killed in a militant ambush.

The deaths of detainees on Sunday happened when the prisoners, in a truck convoy, began rioting, officials said.

The suspects were amongst 600 detainees being transported to Abu Zaabal prison in northern Egypt.

Security forces fired tear gas on a truck after the rioting prisoners managed to capture a prison officers, officials said. Those who died suffocated on the gas, it was said.

However, this report conflicts with reports carried on state television. The official website of Egyptian state television reported the deaths took place after security forces clashed with militants near the prison and detainees came under fire while trying to escape.

State media also said all those killed and the gunmen belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that Morsi hails from. However, officials, speaking on a condition of anonymity, said some of the detainees belonged to the Brotherhood, while others did not.

These deaths followed police firing on a mosque in Cairo, with hundreds of pro-Morsi supporters inside, on Saturday.

On Monday morning, it was reported that 24 policemen were killed in an attack my suspected militants, armed with rocket-propelled grenades.

Officials said the attack took place near the town of Rafah in the Sinai peninsula as two buses carrying police forces drove through the area. Three policemen were also wounded.

The latest violence, which began last week as the military tried to clear camps filled with supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi, brings the death toll to at least 850.

On Saturday, 70 people were reported to have been killed in clashes.

Mubarak release

On Monday it was also revealed that Hosni Mubarak, ousted as Egypt’s president in the Arab Spring in 2011, could be released within 48 hours.

The former leader was jailed for various charges including complicity in the murder of protesters, and corruption charges. However, officials within Egypt’s judiciary said the former leader could be freed this week.

Officials said there were no longer any grounds to hold the 85-year-old because of the expiration of a two-year legal limit for holding an individual in custody pending a final verdict.

Mubarak has been in detention since April 2011. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in June last year for his failure to stop the killing of some 900 protesters in the 18-day uprising against his rule.

His sentence was overturned on appeal and he is now being retried, along with his security chief and six top police commanders.

A corruption case is the final hurdle for Mubarak, but his lawyer said on Monday that the case would be settled within the next 48 hours.

‘International efforts’

Amidst the continuing violence, EU ambassadors travelled to Brussels to discuss the crisis. British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande have called for this meeting to be followed by an emergency session of EU foreign ministers.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and the president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy yesterday issued a statement warning that the EU would “urgently” review its relations with Egypt in the coming days.

Read more: What will happen to the Muslim Brotherhood now?

The statement said: “We regret deeply that international efforts and proposals for building bridges and establishing an inclusive political process, to which the EU contributed actively, were set aside and a course of confrontation was instead pursued.

“This path will not succeed. It is crucial that violence ends immediately.

“The calls for democracy and fundamental freedoms from the Egyptian population cannot be disregarded, much less washed away in blood.”

‘Silence’

However, the Egyptian government has rejected the “internationalisation” of the crisis, calling it an internal affair.

Nabil Fahmy, the foreign minister in the military-backed interim government, told reporters in Cairo: “I want to determine what is useful and what is not and what aid is being used to pressure Egypt and whether this aid has good intentions and credibility.”

Mr Fahmy also criticised the international community, saying: “Their silence encourages armed groups to continue using violence and intimidation.”

Egypt’s military chief General Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi has taken a conciliatory tone on the army’s Facebook page, saying the army does not want to take control of the country, and calling for the inclusion of Islamists in the government.

Mubarak has been in detention since April 2011. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in June last year for his failure to stop the killing of some 900 protesters in the 18-day uprising against his rule.

His sentence was overturned on appeal and he is now being retried, along with his security chief and six top police commanders.

A corruption case is the final hurdle for Mubarak, but his lawyer said on Monday that the case would be settled within the next 48 hours.

‘International efforts’

Amidst the continuing violence, EU ambassadors travelled to Brussels to discuss the crisis. British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande have called for this meeting to be followed by an emergency session of EU foreign ministers.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and the president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy yesterday issued a statement warning that the EU would “urgently” review its relations with Egypt in the coming days.

Read more: What will happen to the Muslim Brotherhood now?

The statement said: “We regret deeply that international efforts and proposals for building bridges and establishing an inclusive political process, to which the EU contributed actively, were set aside and a course of confrontation was instead pursued.

“This path will not succeed. It is crucial that violence ends immediately.

“The calls for democracy and fundamental freedoms from the Egyptian population cannot be disregarded, much less washed away in blood.”

‘Silence’

However, the Egyptian government has rejected the “internationalisation” of the crisis, calling it an internal affair.

Nabil Fahmy, the foreign minister in the military-backed interim government, told reporters in Cairo: “I want to determine what is useful and what is not and what aid is being used to pressure Egypt and whether this aid has good intentions and credibility.”

Mr Fahmy also criticised the international community, saying: “Their silence encourages armed groups to continue using violence and intimidation.”

Egypt’s military chief General Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi has taken a conciliatory tone on the army’s Facebook page, saying the army does not want to take control of the country, and calling for the inclusion of Islamists in the government.