Alexander Yakovenko

The political crisis in Egypt is not easing up. Mass protests by supporters and opponents of Mohammed Morsi continue in Cairo and some other major cities. There have been fierce clashes with security forces resulting in numerous casualties. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Egypt may be heading toward a civil war.

In such a complicated situation, we reaffirm our appeal to all political forces in Egypt to be patient and show restraint, to act responsibly and to seek to settle the existing crisis through democratic methods, without further recourse to violence, guided by the interests of all groups and religious communities of Egyptian society.

We also hope that Egypt's authorities will pursue the country’s national interests, including those related to long-term cooperation projects with Russia. These cooperation projects are not concluded with any specific government. Rather, these projects are aimed at promoting cooperation between our countries, and their implementation will benefit both our nations.

Russia is interested in seeing a stable and prosperous Egypt. We wish the same for the entire region, which is continuing to undergo a momentous transformation.

Egypt is a leading country in the region, and the situation there is of crucial importance for the broader Arab world.

The Egyptian people must make their own choice about their country's future, through an inclusive dialogue involving all political forces, strata of society, faiths and ethnic groups.

Like the rest of the international community, we hope that the various initiatives aimed at launching this national dialogue, stabilizing the situation, and implementing measures to lay the groundwork for free and democratic elections will be successful. We are confident that the Egyptian people can achieve that without any outside interference.