admin“Confrontation cannot be a solution,” Ashton said in a statement. “The solution to the present impasse can only be political on the basis of a substantial and inclusive dialogue.”
Welcoming the peaceful conduct of most protests so far, Ashton said continuing sexual abuse of female protesters was “deeply troubling”.
“I urge all sides to show restraint and reiterate my call to respect the principle of peaceful protest and non-violence,” she said, offering “deepest condolences” to the families of those killed in the protests.
In a speech televised early Wednesday, Morsi vowed to stay on as Egypt’s first democratically elected president and said the only alternative to his legitimacy was bloodshed.
Morsi’s defiant remarks came hours before the expiry of a deadline set by the army calling on Morsi to find a solution to the crisis or face an imposed army roadmap.
According to a BBC report, the army says it is prepared to shed its blood to defend Egypt against “any terrorist, radical or fool”.
The army also gave a deadline of around 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT) on Wednesday for the crisis to be resolved. Reports say the army’s plan includes the outline for new presidential elections, the suspension of the new constitution and the dissolution of parliament.
Hours after his speech, the government reported that unidentified gunmen had killed 16 people and wounded about 200 more after opening fire on a rally of his supporters in Cairo.
Egyptian newspapers predicted Wednesday would be the day of President Morsi’s departure despite the Islamist leader’s refusal to step down as an army deadline loomed.
“Today: Ouster or Resignation,” read the front-page headline of the state-owned mass circulation daily Al-Ahram.
“The End,” declared the independent daily Al-Watan, in headlines echoed by most other government-owned or independent papers.
“Egypt will be back within hours,” read the independent daily Al-Masry al-Youm, while Al-Shorouk talked of “the disintegration of the Brotherhood state” in reference to the powerful Islamist movement from which Morsi hails.
Egypt is divided between Morsi’s Islamist supporters and a broad-based opposition which took to the streets in their millions on Sunday calling on him to go.
Since coming to power a year ago, Morsi has battled with the judiciary, the media and the police.
On Tuesday, he was further isolated after his foreign minister led a string of cabinet resignations. The spokesmen for the presidency and the cabinet also resigned. – AFP.
Online Reporter