EU foreign policy chief in Egypt for talksOctober 2, 2013 - 14:59 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has gone to Egypt in a bid to help rebuild relations between the country's interim government and the Muslim Brotherhood, according to VOA News. Ashton met Wednesday with Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy and was due to hold talks with a range of leaders, including Egypt's president and prime minister, military chief General Abdul Fattah al-Sissi and Brotherhood officials and religious leaders during the two-day mediation visit. On Tuesday, Sissi called for a quick government transition based on a political roadmap that envisions presidential elections next spring. Egypt's military took control of the government after ousting president Mohamed Morsi from power in July. Since then, at least 1,000 people have been killed, mostly Islamists, in a crackdown against militants and supporters of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. Millions of Egyptians had staged mass protests against Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, and accused him of consolidating power in Islamist hands and ruining the economy. Military leaders installed supreme court judge Adly Mansour to take Morsi's place and form an interim government to lead Egypt until new elections restore democratic civilian rule. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |