Canadian officials called for Egyptians “to remain calm” following the ouster of their embattled president Wednesday evening as the international community reacted with caution to the news that the nation’s first democratically elected leader was gone from his post.
After he was dismissed by the army, Mohammed Morsi appeared to still be in control of the official presidential Twitter account, posting messages denouncing the move as a “coup,” but urging Egyptians to avoid violence.
A spokesperson for Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued a statement Wednesday evening with a similar message.
“Canada urges all parties in Egypt to remain calm, avoid violence and engage in meaningful dialogue,” Rick Roth, Baird’s press secretary, said in a statement.
“Canada firmly believes that implementing a transparent democratic system that respects the voices of its citizens, and that encourages and respects the contributions of civil society and all other segments of the population, including religious minorities, is the best way to restore calm and give all Egyptians a stake in the future stability and prosperity of Egypt.”
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said the Official Opposition is “watching the events in Egypt with great concern and following the developments closely.
“All parties must respect the right of peaceful demonstration and reject violence. The solution to this crisis must be a political one that respects the democratic aspirations of the Egyptian people.”
U.S. President Barack Obama said he was “deeply concerned” about the Egyptian military’s move Wednesday, but stopped short of calling Morsi’s ouster a coup d’etat.
Obama urged the military to hand back control to a “democratically elected civilian government” without delay.
He also said he was ordering the U.S. government to assess what the latest developments mean for U.S. foreign aid to Egypt.
Under U.S. law, the government must suspend foreign aid to any nation whose elected leader is ousted in a coup. The U.S. provides $1.5 billion a year to Egypt in military and economic assistance.
The Canadian Embassy in Cairo will remain closed until further notice. The embassy was shuttered on Tuesday “to ensure the protection of all staff” amid the ongoing anti-government protests.
On Wednesday, U.S. officials ordered all non-essential staff of the American Embassy in Cairo, and their families, to leave Egypt immediately. It remained unclear late Wednesday if the U.S. government would move its citizens out of the country, or if they would be allowed to leave by commercial flights or ships.
Using stronger language in support of Morsi’s ouster was Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has cracked down violently on his citizens who have protested against his rule.
In an interview with the state-run Al-Thawra newspaper, Assad said the developments in Egypt signalled the end of “so-called political Islam.
“This is the fate of anyone in the world who tries to use religion for political or factional interests.”
Assad has called the uprising against him a conspiracy led by Islamic extremists, including the Syrian faction of the Muslim Brotherhood, the same group in Egypt affiliated with Morsi.
With files from the Associated Press
