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		</div><p><a href="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/mep-slams-eu-response-to-protests.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" title="MEP Edward McMillan-Scott said the EU had 'encouraged despots' for too long" src="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/min-mep-slams-eu-response-to-protests.jpg" alt="MEP Edward McMillan-Scott said the EU had 'encouraged despots' for too long"/></a></p>
<p>A senior MEP has slammed Europe&#8217;s response so far to the &#8220;peoples&#8217; revolutions&#8221; playing out across North Africa and the Middle East.</p>
<p>European Parliament vice-president for democracy and human rights Edward McMillan-Scott said the EU had &#8220;encouraged despots&#8221; for too long and now faced a big test.</p>
<p>The MEP, in Cairo for the second time in a fortnight, is calling for the setting up of an Arab Democracy Fund to bolster existing development aid programmes.</p>
<p>&#8220;Egypt is the most important country in the region and it has chosen democracy,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;What happens there now is emblematic for neighbours like Libya and beyond. In the last two weeks I have been pressing Brussels for an ambitious response. This is a big test for the EU: I am not impressed so far.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and Humber went on: &#8220;What is needed is a fund for democracy to which people around the world can contribute, to be administered by an independent trust, which can level the playing field. This can back up the aid and development programmes of governments, but let&#8217;s involve the peoples of the world at a historic moment.</p>
<p>&#8220;Arab countries in reform need a blueprint for democratic transition &#8211; including punishing the tyrants &#8211; which can be applied elsewhere.</p>
<p>&#8220;For too long the EU has talked about reform and encouraged despots. Brussels seems blind to the huge differences between the former opposition groups in these countries, who have no resources, and the continuing administrations, who will back candidates. For elections to work, they need to be both free but above all fair.&#8221;</p>
<p>The MEP said democracy in Arab countries did not have to mean moving from authoritarian regimes to &#8220;an extremist Islamism&#8221;.</p>
<p>He will be pushing his blueprint this weekend in talks with the Egyptian prime minister and senior administration officials. He also plans talks with reformist groups and potential presidential candidates.</p>
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