Cameron Arrives in Egypt to Urge Army to Complete Transition to Democracy

[maddezmom]

Source: Bloomberg

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Cairo, making the first visit by a Western leader since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, to urge Egypt’s new military rulers to complete the transition to democracy.

The premier will use the unannounced visit to stress his view that governments in the Middle East need to listen to the demands of their people for political and economic freedom. Anti-government protests that led to the ousting of Tunisia’s president last month have spread across the region from Algeria to the Persian Gulf.

Mubarak stepped down Feb. 11 after 30 years of autocratic rule, bowing to the demands of protesters who occupied Tahrir Square in central Cairo for 18 days. Egypt’s army dissolved the country’s parliament and suspended the constitution, pledging to hold elections in the Arab world’s most populous country. Cameron will meet Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik and opposition leaders today.

As Cameron arrived, the rulers of Libya and Yemen vowed to stand firm in the face of opposition protests. One of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s sons called on demonstrators to engage in dialogue or face a civil war. Human Rights Watch put the number of dead in the Libyan protests at more than 200. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh ruled out meeting all the demands of protesters who took to the streets for an 11th day calling for an end to his government.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-21/cameron-arrives-in-egypt-to-urge-army-to-complete-transition-to-democracy.html

[bemildred]

1. I have ten bucks that says that is not what he is really going to urge them to do. nt

[bemildred]

2. Hiccough. nt

[tigereye]

3. oh, jeez, since he's so good at it...

:eyes: