Avoid civil war, Putin tells Egyptians
July 7, 2013, 3:06 pm

The African Union has deemed the change ‘unconstitutional’ [Getty Images]

“Syria is already engulfed in a civil war and, no matter how sad it may sound, Egypt is also moving in the same direction,” Putin said on Sunday.

Russia had urged all political forces to exercise restraint in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

“It would be good, if the Egyptian people avoided this fate,” Putin added.

According to officials from Egypt’s Health Ministry, more than 30 people were killed and more than 1,100 injured during clashes between opponents and supporters of Morsi.

Egypt’s newly-assigned caretaker President Adly Mansour took oath on Thursday as the interim head of state after the Morsi’s ouster.

Peter Lavelle, anchor of Russia Today’s Cross Talk, said Putin’s analogy is perceptive.

“Egypt’s generals have dangerously side-stepped the constitution and illegally assumed power,” Lavelle told The BRICS Post.

Lavelle also observed that ‘Islamic radicalization’ could play a dangerous role in both Egypt and Syria.

“Sunni radicals have captured the Syrian rebel movement and are forcing their vision of Islam on anyone in their way. The Egyptian generals have made it clear they don’t want the Muslim Brotherhood in politics.

“This will radicalise some of the Brotherhood’s members and thus create an insurmountable divide in the country. Things will get far worse in Egypt before they get better,” he said.

The African Union on Friday suspended Egypt from all activities for disruption of “constitutional order”.

South Africa had already raised concerns over the manner of Morsi’s removal from office.

“South Africa has observed with concern the suspension of the Constitution and the removal from office of a democratically elected president in Egypt, one year after the presidential election,” said Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for South Africa’s department of international relations on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has called the African Union stand on Egypt ‘principled’.

“African Union took stand of principle on events in Egypt. Suspended its membership. EU can’t be less concerned than AU with democracy,” said Bildt on Twitter.

By Daria Chernyshova in Moscow, Russia for The BRICS POST, with inputs from Agencies