EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton visit Egypt for second time

The European Union's (EU) foreign policy chief was scheduled to visit Cairo on Monday for the second time after July 3 coup. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was scheduled to meet General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, interim president Adli Mansour, and officials of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing. Ashton, in a statement, said she would press for a “fully inclusive transition process, taking in all political groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood," calling for ending the violence. During her first visit on July 17 she met Mansour, Sisi and Tamarod movement that spearheaded mass protests that led to the ouster of Morsi, and demanded ousted President Morsi's release. The National Alliance for the Defense of Legitimacy has delegated five of its leaders to meet Catherine Ashton, currently visiting the country. "We will be represented by Mohamed Mahsoub (former legal affairs minister), Amr Darrag (former international cooperation minister), Mohamed Ali Beshr (former local government minister), Mahmoud Taha (a leading Islamist) and (former) prime minister Hisham Qandil," the Alliance said in a statement on Monday.

The Alliance, a coalition of largely Islamist parties and groups supportive of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, insisted that its peaceful demonstrations and sit-ins in Rab'a al-Adaweya and Nahda Square would continue.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday 5:30 Cairo local time and comes at the request of the European diplomat, currently on her second visit to Egypt in less than two weeks.

Ashton, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, has already met interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi and was heading for a meeting with army chief and Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.

During her first visit Ashton also met with Darrag and Beshr, both Muslim Brotherhood leaders, along with Morsi's premier Hisham Qandil.

The powerful military ousted Morsi, Egypt's first elected president, on July 3 following mass protests against his regime.

It suspended the constitution and installed Mansour, the head of the constitutional court, as interim president.