France calls for release of Egypt's Morsi
France called for the release of Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi on Tuesday as the European Union's foreign policy chief held two-hour talks with Morsi, who has been in custody since shortly after the July 3 coup.
France's foreign minister demanded on Tuesday that Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi be freed, and condemned the deadly unrest in Cairo.
"We condemn the violence... We call for dialogue and for the release of president Morsi," Laurent Fabius told reporters.
"The situation is very critical. We call for the rejection of violence and for the release of political prisoners including former president Morsi."
Egypt has been locked in an increasingly bloody political crisis since Morsi was ousted in a July 3 coup, amid violent clashes between his supporters and opponents.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton held two hours of talks with Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi, in custody since shortly after the July 3 coup, her spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Ashton met Morsi "for two hours," her spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told AFP.
In Cairo to discuss the bloody political crisis gripping the Arab world's most populous state, Ashton headed off to meet Morsi during the night.
Sources told AFP that she had left Cairo in a military helicopter for the undisclosed location where Morsi is being held.
On her last visit on July 17, Ashton unsuccessfully requested to meet him and urged his release.
Fabius is due to hold talks with Ashton later in the day.
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France's foreign minister demanded on Tuesday that Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi be freed, and condemned the deadly unrest in Cairo.
"We condemn the violence... We call for dialogue and for the release of president Morsi," Laurent Fabius told reporters.
"The situation is very critical. We call for the rejection of violence and for the release of political prisoners including former president Morsi."
Egypt has been locked in an increasingly bloody political crisis since Morsi was ousted in a July 3 coup, amid violent clashes between his supporters and opponents.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton held two hours of talks with Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi, in custody since shortly after the July 3 coup, her spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Ashton met Morsi "for two hours," her spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told AFP.
In Cairo to discuss the bloody political crisis gripping the Arab world's most populous state, Ashton headed off to meet Morsi during the night.
Sources told AFP that she had left Cairo in a military helicopter for the undisclosed location where Morsi is being held.
On her last visit on July 17, Ashton unsuccessfully requested to meet him and urged his release.
Fabius is due to hold talks with Ashton later in the day.
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