UNITED NATIONS, Aug 16: The UN Security Council called on the Egyptian government and the Muslim brotherhood to exercise “maximum restraint” and end the violence spreading across the country.

In a statement issued late on Thursday night the 15 members of the Council also called for national reconciliation and expressed regret at the loss of life after a briefing by the United Nations Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson.

Argentine Ambassador Maria Cristina Perceval, the council president, expressed the views of the council members after an emergency meeting late on Thursday night.

The lukewarm statement was made under pressure following two days of unrest which claimed over 638 lives as the United States, Russia and China showed scant interest in the holding the meeting.

The informal statement represented the lowest-level response by the UN's most powerful body. Council President Ms Perceval of Argentina spoke to reporters about the continued the turmoil in Egypt, sparked by the government's deadly crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

"Members first of all expressed their sympathy to the victims and regretted the loss of life. The view of council members is that it's important to end violence in Egypt, that the parties exercise maximum restraint. And there was a common desire on the need to stop violence and to advance national reconciliation,” Perceval said.

Diplomats said several council members pressed for adoption of a press statement that condemned the violence but some members of the council were opposed.

Even softer language deploring the violence was dropped, the diplomats were quoted as saying on condition of anonymity because the consultations were private.