German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Saturday called on Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak to implement reforms and reject violence against anti-government protests currently sweeping his country, dpa reported.
"He (Mubarak) announced political and economic reforms in his speech," Westerwelle said, referring to a television appearance by Mubarak late Friday. "These announcements must now be implemented rapidly, boldly and consistently."
"I call on those responsible in Egypt and on the security forces to be conscious of their responsibilities, so that the situation does not escalate further," he said.
"Violence should not be used against peaceful demonstrations."
He advised travellers to avoid Cairo, Alexandria and Suez, where an estimated 100 demonstrators have been killed since the protests started earlier in the week.
Westerwelle is due to travel to Israel on Sunday to discuss the current situation in the region with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman.