Berlin - A German government spokesman on Friday praised Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi as “constructive,” five days before he arrives in Berlin for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Within his term as Egypt's first freely elected president, Mr Morsi has stressed that Egypt will be bound by foreign policy commitments. That expressly applies to the peace treaty with Israel,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Morsi's government had been “very reasonable” and “very successful” in bringing about a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel last year. “We are confident that this constructive role in Middle East peace process will continue,” he said.
Merkel's talks with Morsi next Wednesday would be a “good opportunity” to “discuss these topics in private.”
He refused to comment on anti-Semitic remarks that news reports claim Morsi made two years ago when speaking as a senior official in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, but said Berlin believed that “whichever side they come from, aggressive or hurtful remarks are not helpful.” - Sapa-dpa