(New York) – The United Nations Security Council has urged all parties in Egypt to exercise maximum restraint and to put an end to the violence across the country. “Members first of all expressed their sympathy to the victims and regretted the loss of life. The view of council members is that it’s important to end violence in Egypt, that the parties exercise maximum restraint. And there was a common desire on the need to stop violence and to advance national reconciliation,” Ambassador Maria Cristina Perceval of Argentine, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for August, told reporters following an emergency meeting by the 15-member council on Egypt in New York.
Perceval’s statements came after the council was briefed by Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on the turmoil in Egypt where hundreds were killed in Rabaa Al Adawiya Square and Nahda Square as security forces dispersed protests seeking the return of ousted President Mohammed Mursi.
The council’s meeting was jointly requested by France, Britain and Australia a day after nearly 600 people were killed when security forces moved to clear camps of supporters of ousted president Mohammed Mursi.
