David Cameron in Egypt for talks with new regime

Published on Monday 21 February 2011 12:47

DAVID Cameron flew into Cairo today in the first visit by a world leader to Egypt since a popular uprising forced president Hosni Mubarak out of office 10 days ago.

The Prime Minister diverted the start of a planned tour of the Gulf region to hold talks with the military leadership in a bid to help ensure a "genuine transition" to civilian rule.

And as a wave of protests continued in other countries, he condemned the "completely appalling" violent repression carried out by the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi which has reportedly left upwards of 200 dead and many more injured.

Speaking on the flight to Cairo, Mr Cameron said: "This is a great opportunity for us to go and talk to those currently running Egypt to make sure this really is a genuine transition from military rule to civilian rule and see what friendly countries like Britain and others in Europe can do to help.

"I am particularly keen about being able to get to Egypt and to be one of the first people there."

Mr Cameron is due to hold face-to-face talks with the head of the armed forces supreme council, defence minister Mohamed Tantawi, as well as the country's prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

Part of his agenda will be a call for the lifting of emergency laws which have been in place for more than three decades.

Meetings with a number of figures from the anti-Mubarak opposition movement have also been arranged, although they will not include representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood - the banned Islamic group which is thought to have widespread public support.

"What is so refreshing about what's been happening is that this is not an Islamist revolt, this is not extremists on the streets; this is people who want to have the sort of basic freedoms that we take for granted in the UK," Mr Cameron said.

In an angry attack on the treatment of protesters in Libya, he said: "Our message, as it has been throughout this - I think we have been extremely consistent in saying that the response to the aspirations people are showing on the streets of these countries must be one of reform not repression.

"We can see what is happening in Libya which completely appalling and unacceptable as the regime is using the most vicious forms of repression against people who want to see that country - which is one of the most closed and one of the most autocratic - make progress.

"The response they have shown has been quite appalling.