But the Europeans remain silent on how the growing friendship may benefit ordinary Egyptians. By Alice Tegle “I am not here to ask people to do things”, said EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton to the press in Cairo, Tuesday. “I am here to find out where the common ground might be, what the confidence building measures could be that can help everybody move forward”. What this common ground may be, the European official did not say. Nor did she publicly mention the desperately needed EU-loan, promised if democratic reforms come into effect. Meanwhile, new protests are promised by both sides tonight. Met the elite Ashton, who arrived in Egypt late Sunday, was meeting with the interim president, Adli Mansour; his vice president, Mohamed ElBaradei; and the chief of the armed forces, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi. She also had discussions with Salafi representatives from Al Nour party and the deposed president himself, Mohamad Morsi. “We have some experience that might be of value and we can help by having conversations with everyone, to listen, and to be able to offer some thoughts”, said an apparently humble Mr. Ashton, well aware of…
