EU appeals for calm and reform in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen (Roundup)

Feb 2, 2011, 16:50 GMT

Brussels - The European Union called on all sides in Egypt, Yemen and Tunisia to avoid violence and remain calm Wednesday as the spate of demonstrations intensified and clashes broke out in Cairo.

Demonstrations have spread across the Arab world since the fall of Tunisia's president in January. Egyptian leader Hosny Mubarak and his Yemeni counterpart Ali Abdullah Saleh have pledged not to contest further elections, but that has not dampened protesters' ire.

'It's very important that we see restraint and calm, it is very important that the (Egyptian) government tries to achieve this ... that is their responsibility,' EU High Representative Catherine Ashton told Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera English.

In a separate statement released after she held talks with Yemen Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, Ashton 'made a plea for continued and strengthened democratic reforms (and) urged all parties to avoid any recourse to violence.'

The EU has hailed the demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt as a symbol of the will of the people and a call for more democracy. But it has been careful not to call openly for the resignation of the countries' leaders, whom it has long quietly supported.

Mubarak 'must show the people he has heard their message and is responding to them, show them a timetable to move forward,' Ashton said, urging dialogue.

The president 'must talk to the leaders of the demonstrations,' she added. But she insisted that the president's future was for the Egyptian people to decide.

For Yemen, Ashton made an 'urgent' call for 'political and economic reform ... and a comprehensive and inclusive National Dialogue, which offers an opportunity to unlock progress on political issues, from the holding of meaningful multi-party democratic elections to wider national reconciliation,' the statement said.

Also on Wednesday, Ashton met with Tunisia's new foreign minister, Ahmed Ouneies, who was sworn in after the popular revolt against president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

Ouneies said Tunisia - whose successful uprising has inspired protests in Egypt - 'had no lessons to teach,' but he wished Egyptians 'good luck' and expressed hope for their 'reconciliation.'

Ashton promised that the EU would support all three countries in the move towards more democracy.

Read more about EU

Read more about Egypt Unrest

Read more about Reactions

Read more about Tunisia

Read more about Yemen