A Federal Foreign Office spokesperson issued the following statement in Berlin today (8 December):

“Foreign Minister Westerwelle spoke to his Egyptian opposite number, Mohamed Kamel Amr, on the phone today. Minister Kamel Amr outlined what had been happening in Cairo.

Minister Westerwelle expressed his concern in view of the events of recent days and the ongoing protests. He appealed to the Egyptian Government to aim to defuse conflict and seek dialogue with all sections of society. He highlighted dialogue as the only acceptable way out of the current crisis”.