May 12, 2016 - 9:42 AM
BERLIN - The German Foreign Office has summoned the Egyptian ambassador to express incomprehension about the closure of a German foundation's office in Cairo.
The foreign office said in a statement State Secretary Markus Ederer told Ambassador Badr Abdelatty Thursday to reopen the office of the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation, which is linked to the liberal Free Democrats party.
The statement stressed that the government will continue its support of German political foundations' important work in Egypt with "appropriate measures."
The statement also said the foundations "need to be able to do (their work) in an environment of increasing political pressure on civil society."
The Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation said on its website it had already moved its main office to Jordan in 2014, but had continued to keep the small office in Egypt that was closed.
News from © The Associated Press, 2016