U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed on Saturday the importance of an orderly and peaceful transition in Egypt that begins now.

He called for the transition to a government "that is responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people, including credible, inclusive negotiations between the government and the opposition," the White House said.

In his phone calls to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates, British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Obama discussed his "serious concern" about the targeting of journalists and human rights groups, and reaffirmed that the Egyptian government has a responsibility to protect the rights of its people and to release immediately those who have been unjustly detained.

Obama made a public call on Tuesday for an orderly transition in Egypt that must be "meaningful," "peaceful" and "must begin now ".

The leaders agreed to stay in close contact going forward, the White House said, adding that Obama and Merkel also reviewed developments in the broader Middle East, including the Quartet meeting in Munich, Germany on Saturday.

At their Munich meeting, the Quartet on Middle East mediators, which include the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia, reiterated their determinations to push forward Israeli-Palestinian peace process.