DHAKA: Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi flew Wednesday to Berlin for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel in a visit shortened to just a few hours after days of unrest in his country.
The visit will centre on bilateral cooperation as well as the situation in Egypt, where almost a week of violence has left more than 50 people dead, the official news agency MENA said reports daily Hurriyet.
Mursi’s trip had originally been expected to last two days.
It will be the president’s first visit to Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, since his election in June last year.
MENA said he is to meet with business people as well as Merkel.
Hours before Mursi’s arrival, Germany’s foreign minister warned that German financial aid to Egypt is contingent upon democratic progress.
Berlin’s offer of help ‘depends on advances in the democratic development in Egypt’, Guido Westerwelle said on ARD public television.
‘These last days we have seen some terrible pictures, images of violence and destruction,’ Westerwelle said, calling for dialogue between the Egyptian government and opposition.
France’s presidency said on Tuesday that Mursi had postponed an official visit this week.
He had been due to meet French President Francois Hollande on Friday, when the Egyptian opposition has called for rallies.
BDST: 1855 HRS, JAN 30, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor- eic@banglanews24.com
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