03/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Catherine Ashton regrets deaths and injuries in recent demonstrations. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton “deeply regrets” the deaths and injuries during recent demonstrations in Egypt, her spokesperson Michael Mann told Agence Europe on Thursday 3 May. He said that the EU was closely following what is happening in Egypt ahead of the presidential election on 23-24 May. “The EU emphasises the right to peaceful demonstration and the interim authorities' duty to uphold law and order”, he added. A demonstration is planned for Friday as a protest against the violence. According to medical sources, 20 people were killed in clashes in Cairo on Wednesday 2 May between protesters, who had been gathering for several days to call for the army to cede power, and unidentified assailants. Calm would seem to have been restored by Thursday. To ease the situation, the army said it was preparing to hand over power on the evening of 24 May, after the first round of voting, if one of the candidates secured outright victory, and not at the end of June as was initially suggested. (CG/transl.rt)