Ashton to visit Egypt next week

First visit of EU foreign policy chief since military takeover.

Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, is to travel to Egypt next Monday (21 February) for talks with the transitional military authorities and opposition groups.

Ashton initially wanted to travel to Egypt after a Middle East tour this week but had to re-schedule following consultations with the Egyptian authorities. She will leave Brussels immediately after a meeting of member states’ foreign ministers (20-21 February), who are to discuss the EU’s assistance to Tunisia and Egypt following popular uprisings there.

The EU has called on Egypt’s military to hand over power to a democratically accountable government following the ousting last Friday (11 February) of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s leader for three decades.

The military authorities have announced a plan to rewrite parts of the constitution within ten days and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections by August.

The EU has pledged to support Egypt’s electoral process, and Ashton has announced that she would ask the European Investment Bank to provide an additional €1 billion in loans to back democratic transition over the coming three years.

The European Commission currently spends around €150 million a year in Egypt under the European Neighbourhood Policy.

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