Monday, February 07, 2011

Opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, held talks with Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman Sunday to resolve Egypt’s political crisis but said their core demand for a complete overhaul of the political system and the removal of President Hosni Mubarak was not met.

The sides however agreed to set a committee to study constitutional reforms and to draft a road map for talks, indicating Mubarak would stay in power to oversee change, the government said after the meeting.

As night fell, central Cairo’s now iconic Tahrir Square was still filled with thousands of anti-regime protesters, adamant that the start of dialogue will not divert them from their campaign to unseat Egypt’s strongman.
As the talks took place, armored personnel carriers stood guard at Cairo intersections where soldiers had erected sandbag barriers. Buses dropped employees off at large state banks.

Government spokesman Magdi Radi said the parties agreed to form a committee of judges and politicians “to study and propose constitutional amendments and required legislative amendments … by the first week of March.” But Suleiman rejected a key opposition demand, saying he would not assume Mubarak’s powers and rule in his stead during the transition.

The government agreed to set up a committee that includes public and independent figures and specialists and representatives of youth movements to monitor the “honest implementation” of all the new agreements and to report back and give recommendations to Suleiman.

Negotiators also agreed to open an office for complaints about the treatment of political prisoners, loosen media curbs, to lift an emergency law “depending on the security situation,” and reject foreign interference.
The government pledged not to harass those participating in anti-government protests. The government also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet.

It also pledged to commission judicial authorities to fight corruption and prosecute those behind it. In another concession, authorities promised to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the yet unexplained disappearance of police from Cairo’s streets more than a week ago, which unleashed a wave of lawless looting and arson.
Abdel-Monem Aboul Fotouh, a senior Brotherhood figure, said the government statement represented “good intentions but does not include any solid changes.”

Mohammad Morsi, one of the Brotherhood members who attended the talks, said what was issued was a position in principle, “a first step.” But he added that “unless he [Mubarak] moves fast to meet people’s demands there is no point in the dialogue.” He also said the group was expecting a second round of talks within a few days.

“The meeting was positive in general but it is only the beginning. We appreciated Omar Suleiman meeting with us independently after a general meeting with all political forces,” Mustafa Naggar, coordinator for Mohamed ElBaradei’s National Association for Change, said after the talks.

ElBaradei, who has emerged as a figurehead for the opposition coalition, criticized the fledgling negotiations and said he was not invited.

The talks were managed by the same people who had ruled Egypt for 30 years, he told NBC television in the United States.
“It’s managed by Vice President Suleiman,” ElBaradei said. “It is all managed by the military and that is part of the problem.”

ElBaradei, former director of the United Nations nuclear agency, said there was a big fear that the old government would retrench and return to power. The focus should be on the government, not Mubarak, he said.

“No, of course he doesn’t have to leave Egypt at all,” said ElBaradei. “He is an Egyptian, he has absolutely the right to live in Egypt.”
Gamal Soltan, editor of the independent newspaper Al-Mesryoon, said the dialogue with Suleiman was too vague. The protesters would not leave before their demands were met.

“The problem is that the regime’s hesitancy in taking serious steps will lead to complications and the increase of the popular demonstrations and possibly force an army intervention.”

However, Rachid Mohammad Rachid, who was sacked along with the rest of the cabinet by Mubarak in response to protests, said: “I believe the presence of Mubarak in the next phase of transition for the next few months is very critical.”

Egyptian Nobel Prize winner Ahmed Zewail added his weight Sunday to calls for Mubarak to step down and called on Suleiman to oversee reforms in the country leading to free elections.

Zewail, who has been living in the United States, returned to Egypt Sunday and met with government officials and young protesters to help mediate a resolution. The scientist, who won the 1999 Nobel Prize in chemistry, called for a council of legal experts and public figures to amend the constitutional articles on presidential elections and terms.
Mohammad Adel, of the Sixth of April youth group which has been among the core protesters, said: “They evade the demands of the people.”

Meanwhile, some of the main groups behind the revolt formed a coalition of their own Sunday.

The coalition unites youth representatives of the April 6 movement, the Justice and Freedom group, the Door-Knocking Campaign, the Popular Campaign in Support of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Democratic Front Party.
In addition to the removal of Mubarak, the coalition demanded the lifting of the emergency law, the dissolution of Parliament and a national unity government to secure a peaceful transition of power and oversee constitutional reform.

At Tahrir Square, thousands gathered despite unseasonably bad weather, joining noon prayers to honor the “martyrs” killed in the bloodshed of the last few days. Later, Christians held a Sunday Mass and thousands of Muslims joined in.

Some of the worshipers broke down and cried as the congregation sang: “Bless our country, listen to the screams of our hearts.” “In the name of Jesus and Mohammad we unify our ranks,” Father Ihab al-Kharat said in his sermon. “We will keep protesting until the fall of the tyranny,” he said.

The commander of the army, which many observers say holds the key to Egypt’s future, toured the square to try to persuade the protesters to leave the usually busy intersection. 
“We want people to go back to work and to get paid, and life to get back to normal,” Army Commander Hassan al-Roweny said.

By evening, protesters there were enjoying a carnival atmosphere, with groups reading poetry, singing and dancing to drums, the political chanting having subsided for now.
There were signs that the paralysis that has gripped the country since the crisis began was easing Sunday, the first day of the week in Egypt. Some schools reopened for the first time in more than a week, and banks did the same for only three hours with long lines outside. However, there is still a night curfew, and tanks ringing the city’s central square and guarding government buildings, embassies and other important institutions. – Agencies