The French head of state made the remarks when he summoned Thursday morning the Egyptian ambassador to France to the Elysee Palace to protest against demonstration killings in Cairo.

　　Hollande conveyed the "great concern of France over the tragic events" in Egypt, the president's office said in a statement after his meeting with the Egyptian ambassador.

　　Condemning the bloody violence in Egypt in the strongest terms, Hollande called for "an immediate halt to the crackdown."

　　He stressed that everything must be done to "avoid a civil war," urging the release of prisoners in respect of law, as "the first step towards the return of talks."

　　He said the Egyptians' right to "peaceful protest" must be respected and state of emergency should be lifted soon.

　　"France is committed to finding a political solution and calls for elections to be held as soon as possible, in accordance with the commitments made by the Egyptian transitional authorities," the statement added.

　　The French president also demanded Egyptian authorities "take all measures to ensure the safety" of French nationals and diplomats in the country.

　　The president's meeting with the Egypitan ambassador came just one day after Egypt authorities began to disperse supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, on which at least 300 people have been killed.

　　Vast demonstrations erupted in Cairo after Egypt's first elected President Morsi was deposed and has been detained by the Egyptian army in an undisclosed location since early July.

　　His followers have been encamped in two Cairo squares demanding his reinstatement. On Wednesday, Egyptian security police dispersed two major sit-ins in Cairo.

　　On the same day, French foreign ministry strongly condemned the violence, urging all parties to restrain while calling to resolve the conflict through dialogue.

　　Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius determined to "take this matter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and to our principal partners so that an international position may be urgently adopted to that effect."