Germany Urges Egyptians to Stay on Democratic Path

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed grave concern Tuesday about Egypt's political crisis and urged all sides not to squander the hopes of the democratic revolution.

"I am deeply concerned and I do not want to hide it," he told reporters.

"These are decisive days for the political transformation in this key country of the Arab world."

He said the drive for freedom and human rights in the Tahrir Platz protests that toppled leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011 should not be lost in political infighting and bloodshed.

"We call on all political forces in Egypt to choose the way of dialogue and compromise and to work on solutions to the crisis on the basis of democratic principles," he said.

"Violence or the threat of it must not be a means of political conflict for any side," he said.

Egypt's political crisis escalated dramatically as Islamist President Mohamed Morsi snubbed an army ultimatum threatening to intervene if he did not meet the demands of the people, and five ministers led a spate of government resignations.

In Cairo, Morsi supporters and opponents prepared for mass demonstrations later following deadly clashes at the weekend.

Germany, Europe's biggest economic power, has stepped up its criticism of crackdowns on civil society in Egypt, most recently slamming a court's sentencing of two staff members of a German non-governmental organisation for working illegally in the country.