Instant view: Widespread protests in Egypt

(Reuters) - Egyptian armed forces backed by armored cars deployed in Cairo and other major cities on Friday to tackle huge popular protests demanding the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE

"We want to continue to partner with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people. What will eventually happen in Egypt is up to the Egyptians."

"As a partner of Egypt we are urging that there be a restraint on the part of the security forces, there not be a rush to impose very strict measures that would be violent and that there be a dialogue between the government and the people of Egypt."

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR

"We must do all we can so that the violence comes to an end so there are no innocent victims."

"There is no point in locking up people or to reduce the access to information. We must come to a peaceful dialogue in Egypt. The stability of the country is of course extremely important but not at the cost of freedom of opinion."

KARL-THEODOR GUTTENBERG, GERMAN DEFENCE3 MINISTER

"There is a risk of an infectious momentum (in the Middle East)...there's a chance for stabilizing the region, but the people who are asking for their rights need to get (them)."

Asked if Germany would take any action, Guttenberg said that there will be no intervention. "It's not intervening because that's something we certainly can't do."

IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL

"The justice-seeking movement of the Egyptian people is based on religious teachings and an Islamic awakening in the region and is aimed at taking back Egypt to its real place in domestic, regional and international scenes."

The official urged the Egyptian government to "accept people's rightful demands and avoid reacting violently to protesters."

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

"We in the West have taken rather a simple view that what matters is just the act of holding an election. Real democracy is actually about the building blocks you put in place, about the rule of law, the rights, the strength of your civil society, the freedoms you have in that country and I think we need to take a more mature and thoughtful approach to these countries."

URI ROSENTHAL, DUTCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

"It is important that popular discontent be expressed and at the same time the repressive nature of the regime be removed. Reforms are needed in the political and social sphere."

MICHELLE ALLIOT-MARIE, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER "Only dialogue among all parties can lead to a significant and positive development of the situation so as to take into account the aspirations for greater liberty and democracy which have been expressed. Egyptian authorities will have to find appropriate ways of satisfying them." "France, a friend of Egypt, calls for calm and responsibility on all sides."

VITTORIO COLAO, VODAFONE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

"This morning the Egyptian government asked us to shut down ... the entire network. We checked and found this was a legitimate request. We complied. We will be instructed when to turn it back on . I hope this will be very soon"

ERIC SCHMIDT, GOOGLE CHAIRMAN

"We obviously think it's a bad idea (Egypt's decision to shut down communications), we obviously do not want these things to happen."

GOOGLE STATEMENT

"The Internet has been one of the greatest innovations of our lifetime because of the access to information it gives people around the world. We believe that access is a fundamental right, and its very sad if its denied to citizens of Egypt or any country."