By IRNA,
London : British Prime Minister on Monday attempted to steal a march on the US and Europe by becoming the first leader to visit Egypt since a popular uprising ousted former president Hosni Mubarak from power 11 days ago.
But his visit provoked controversy by holding talks with Egypt’s military rulers and meeting selective opposition members, excluding the Muslim Brotherhood.
“It is a great opportunity for us to go and talk to those running Egypt to make sure this really is a genuine transition from military to civilian rule,” Cameron told reporters, when arriving in Cairo on Monday.
His support for the military council was seen by the Financial Times as a “big gamble” coming just after it power pledging a rapid transition to free and fair elections being “a promise that some fear will never be realised.”
BBC deputy political editor James Landale, who is travelling with Cameron, also said it was “extraordinary for a British prime minister to engage in full-on diplomacy in a country that is still in flux’.
Talks were arranged with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Higher Military Council who has served as defence minister for some 20 years, and Ahmed Shafiq, prime minister.
Cameron’s spokesman in London said that he would also meet all opposition but officials travelling with him briefed journalists that he will not be meeting the Muslim Brotherhood, despite its being Egypt’s most organised opposition.
Their exclusion was said to be “in order to underline that there are alternative voices that are now being given a political platform” in Egypt.