EU chief meets group in Egypt

CAIRO – Europe’s top diplomat on Sunday searched for a way out of Egypt’s increasingly bloody and complex crisis, looking for compromises in talks with the military-backed government and allies of the ousted president.

Supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi appealed for an end to a crackdown that killed 83 protesters over the weekend, calling for a political settlement instead.

Ahead of her visit to Egypt, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton deplored the loss of life and appealed for a political process that includes all groups, including Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.

There were no signs that any side in the complicated conflict was willing to heed her calls. The Brotherhood rejected calls to work with the new leaders and called for new demonstrations today, the government made no conciliatory gestures, and Morsi remained in custody in an unknown location. He has not been seen since the military coup that ousted him on July 3.

On Monday Ashton began a three-day mission, her second since the military made its move.

Ashton’s visit and calls by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry underscored the sense of urgency in the international community, whose leaders are pushing for an inclusive political process that puts an end to violence.

In a sign of tensions and lawlessness that have gripped Egypt during two years of political turmoil, a dispute ended with the deaths of 15 people late Monday in Cairo. A shopkeeper shot and killed two men who spread goods in the ground in front of his store. Their colleagues set fire to the store, killing the man and 13 of his workers, police said.

Ashton made no comments after her meetings Monday with the defense chief, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the interim president, Adly Mansour, and his vice president, Mohammed ElBaradei. She also met for more than an hour with representatives from the Muslim Brotherhood.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Kerry spoke with Ashton and Egyptian leaders on Monday, reinforcing her message for inclusiveness.

“I think we’ve been very clear that we believe an inclusive process means the participation of all parties. And certainly the detainment of many members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including Mr. Morsi, makes it difficult to move forward with that,” Psaki told reporters in Washington.

She said the U.S. believes that Ashton should have access to Morsi while she is in Egypt.

The Brotherhood and its allies insist that Morsi must be returned to office.

They have also sustained their protest movement, calling for mass rallies today under the banner, “Martyrs of the Coup,” and setting up a tent Monday a block away from their main sit-in for prayers for those killed over the weekend.