Brussels, 04/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The transition period must “be central to our relationship with Egypt” and the EU must help it to build a democracy. It was with these words that David Cameron welcomed the declaration of the EU27, calling on Cairo to begin to assure its democratic transition. The British prime minister laid emphasis on the importance of the EU standing alongside Egypt as soon as the transitional period starts, helping the country to prepare “free elections”. Cameron stressed the urgency for Egypt of setting in place democratic reforms and putting an end to all repression. However, he played down the impact of the EU on events in Egypt, whilst stressing the “need to be realistic about the role the EU can play”, and not “naïve” with a belief that “elections will solve all problems”. Cameron went on to state that this new democratic choice was a matter for Egypt itself, thereby declining to support the idea of President Mubarak's immediate departure, adding that it was “not up to the leaders of the West to tell the Egyptians what to do”. On the other hand, the British prime minister refused to accept a situation in which the people could only choose between “a regime which gives them no rights and no freedom” and an “extremist regime”, here referring to Islamic extremists. “I do not accept this choice”, said Cameron, stressing that “the longer the transition, the higher the risks of extremism”. On the other subjects, such as reinforcing economic governance, the British leader stated that his country was not in the eurozone and “will not be joining it”, but that it was still in the interests of the United Kingdom to have a “strong and successful eurozone”, discussions on that day having allowed him to “defend British interests”, he stressed. (S.P./transl.fl)