MUNICH, Germany, Feb 6, 2011 (AFP) - The West stands by the reform
movements in the Arab world but extremists should not be allowed to seize on
the upheaval to impose radical views, Germany's foreign minister said Sunday.
"We want democrats to be able to articulate their interests. We do not want
extremists with their intolerant ideas taking this moment of opportunity to
propose radical ideas," Guido Westerwelle said.
The international community should support Egyptians on the path to
democracy but should avoid creating the impression that change is dictated by
foreigners, Westerwelle told the Munich Security Conference.
"The Egyptian people alone will decide who should govern them. We can help
them, provide advice to the democrats, and this is what we want to do," he said.
The West hopes the "sea change" taking hold across the region will take
place peacefully, without endangering international security, he said.
Egypt has been rocked for almost two weeks by mass demonstrations across
the country, inspired by an uprising in Tunisia. There have also been protests
in Yemen and Jordan.
The revolt in Egypt has raised fears that the regime of President Hosni
Mubarak, one of only two nations with Jordan to have a peace treaty with
Israel, would be replaced with an Islamic regime hostile to the West.
movements in the Arab world but extremists should not be allowed to seize on
the upheaval to impose radical views, Germany's foreign minister said Sunday.
"We want democrats to be able to articulate their interests. We do not want
extremists with their intolerant ideas taking this moment of opportunity to
propose radical ideas," Guido Westerwelle said.
The international community should support Egyptians on the path to
democracy but should avoid creating the impression that change is dictated by
foreigners, Westerwelle told the Munich Security Conference.
"The Egyptian people alone will decide who should govern them. We can help
them, provide advice to the democrats, and this is what we want to do," he said.
The West hopes the "sea change" taking hold across the region will take
place peacefully, without endangering international security, he said.
Egypt has been rocked for almost two weeks by mass demonstrations across
the country, inspired by an uprising in Tunisia. There have also been protests
in Yemen and Jordan.
The revolt in Egypt has raised fears that the regime of President Hosni
Mubarak, one of only two nations with Jordan to have a peace treaty with
Israel, would be replaced with an Islamic regime hostile to the West.
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