Hollande and Merkel, who spoke on the phone about the situation in Egypt, appealed to the parties to the conflict to stop the violence immediately.
They called for the re-establishment of dialogue among Egyptians and for life in the country to return to a democratic course as soon as possible.
President Hollande and the German chancellor said that it is necessary for the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU countries to meet in order to agree on the cooperation between the Union and Egypt and a joint response to the crisis.
Representatives of 28 EU countries will meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss the situation in Egypt, where more than 600 people were killed in the suppression of protests.
Today, Hollande should discuss the situation in Egypt with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
The escalation of the conflict in Egypt occurred on Wednesday, as the police decided to disperse the supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi from two squares in Cairo. New clashes between members of the police and Islamists broke out today in the north of Egypt.
Russia is considering what to do with tourists in Egypt
Russian authorities are considering what to do with the approximately 50.000 Russian tourists currently in Egypt, as well as many more who have already purchased travel arrangements for the unrest-torn country.
The Federal Air Transport Agency today called on air carriers to work out measures and procedures to get the Russians out of Egypt. Previously, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Russians to abandon their visit to Egypt. Rosaviacija then informed the airlines that they should urgently work out a set of measures in order to transport tourists back to Russia if necessary.
Specialists in the field of tourism, however, estimate that it is practically impossible to urgently evacuate 50.000 tourists. "If the decision to evacuate is made, it means that about 300 planes are needed," said the agency Rosturizam, based on earlier data that there were 30.000 tourists there.
The executive director of the Association of Tourist Companies of Russia, Maya Lomidze, told Interfax that tourists, however, do not show a desire to return, that is, only a dozen people have expressed such a desire. "Everything is fine with us. Everything is calm in the hotel. We wouldn't know anything about what's happening in the country if the tour guide hadn't told us," a woman vacationing in Hurghada told the First Channel of Russian television today.
Travel agencies have not stopped selling packages to Egypt, they have only reduced sales. According to Rosturism spokeswoman Irina Šegoljkova, agencies are obliged to inform clients about the situation in Egypt and to suggest other destinations. However, she said that if a tourist insists on visiting Egypt, his request cannot be refused.
One of the owners of the tourist company, Sergej Agafonov, states that for Russians, "a Sunday for two for $300 to $500" is still an interesting offer, but that interest in expensive arrangements has fallen.
According to Russian legislation, all those who have already paid for arrangements for Egypt, in case of cancellation due to extreme situations in that country, must get the entire amount paid back, without any penalties. The spokeswoman of the Russian Federation of the Tourism Industry, Irina Tjurina, said that the losses of travel agencies due to the situation in Egypt could amount to tens of millions of dollars.
Egypt canceled a military exercise with Turkey due to Ankara's interference
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has canceled a joint naval exercise with Turkey planned for October, the agencies reported.
The ministry said it made the decision because of Turkey's interference in Egypt's internal politics, as Ankara condemned the bloody crackdown on protests by supporters of ousted pro-Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
Last night, Turkey invited the Egyptian ambassador to Ankara for consultations, as did the authorities in Egypt. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Egyptian leaders should be tried for military action against Morsi's supporters, who have been protesting in Cairo for more than six weeks.
At least 17 people died in clashes between police and protesters in Egypt today. Clashes escalated on Wednesday as police decided to disperse supporters of the ousted president from two squares in Cairo. So far, more than 600 people have died in the unrest.
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