Military should have no political role in Egypt

EU Foreign Ministers meeting here Monday called for holding of rapid elections in Egypt, underlined that armed forces have no role in politics, and called for the release of the ousted president Mohammad Morsi. The EU Foreign Affairs Council in a statement reiterated its "deep concern over the situation in Egypt." "Many Egyptians protesting have voiced legitimate concerns and expressed deep frustration at the fact that their concerns had not been heeded. At the same time, the armed forces should not play a political role in a democracy; they must accept and respect the constitutional authority of civilian power as a basic principle of democratic governance," noted the statement. "It is now of utmost importance that Egypt embarks on a transition, allowing a transfer of power to a civilian-led and democratically elected government," it said. "Egypt has to move rapidly to an inclusive democratic transformation process, including by the holding of democratic elections in the shortest possible time," it stressed. The EU called for an "end to politically-motivated arrests; the release of all political detainees, including Mohammad Morsi." "All political parties, including the Freedom and Justice Party, must be allowed to work freely and enjoy full freedom of expression. All media must be free to function and journalists must be allowed the necessary freedom to fulfill their role in a professional manner," stressed the statement. The statement added that "in line with the principles and objectives of the European Neighborhood Policy, the EU will continue to provide support to Egypt to face these challenges."