Egyptian activists are very optimistic today that the house arrest of Hosni Mubarak and his sons Alaa and Gamal is a sign that the military government has not abandoned the will of the people who have peacefully moved Egypt towards democratic reform.
"Good Bright Morning," Tweeted Egyptian Medhat Etman. "Hope it's not a day dream Mubarak's family interrogated... Now look to Egypts future. Stop talking and start working.”
It looked grim for the Egyptian pro-democracy movement at the end of last week, when hundreds of soldiers stormed demonstrators gathered in historic Tahrir Square to call for the prosecution of the deposed Mubarak on corruption charges.
Frustrated that Mubarak and his family were living comfortably in Sharm-el-Sheikh, protesters in Tahrir also demanded the resignation of military leader, Field Marshal Mohamad Hussein Tantawi.
"Tantawi is Mubarak and Mubarak is Tantawi," the protesters chanted.
Tantawi apparently heard them, but not before at least open protester was killed by the security forces at Tahrir over the weekend, while dozens of others were beaten with batons.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces let the protesters know Mubarak's arrest was in response to their demands, especially amid rumors that he had fled the country.
"Out of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces belief in the importance of maintaining communication with the Egyptian people and the youth of the revolution, we stress news of the departure of former president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia is not true, as he is under house arrest along with his family," the military leaders said in a statement.
Showing posts with label Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Show all posts
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
U.S. to New Egypt: Lift Emergency Law
The West began showing its love for the Egyptian Revolution today with a polite reminder from the U.S. that assistance comes with a price: Emergency law needs to be lifted and planning for elections must move forward.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns both touched down in Cairo for separate meetings with top officials, and offers to help with the transition to democracy (EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is also scheduled to arrive today in Egypt for consultations).
Burns, who is joined in Egypt by White House aide David Lipton, said their mission is to "understand better how we can connect our resources to Egypt's priorities and to be as helpful as we can in this process."
"Along the way, we'll continue to encourage concrete steps to build confidence and to sustain the momentum of the transition, ranging from the constitutional amendments that are being considered, through careful preparations for elections, to the further release of political detainees, to the lifting of the emergency law," Burns said in remarks after an initial meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
Cameron, the first world leader to visit post-Mubarak Egypt, met Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which is running the provisional government. Cameron also had scheduled meetings with Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns both touched down in Cairo for separate meetings with top officials, and offers to help with the transition to democracy (EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is also scheduled to arrive today in Egypt for consultations).
Burns, who is joined in Egypt by White House aide David Lipton, said their mission is to "understand better how we can connect our resources to Egypt's priorities and to be as helpful as we can in this process."
"Along the way, we'll continue to encourage concrete steps to build confidence and to sustain the momentum of the transition, ranging from the constitutional amendments that are being considered, through careful preparations for elections, to the further release of political detainees, to the lifting of the emergency law," Burns said in remarks after an initial meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
Cameron, the first world leader to visit post-Mubarak Egypt, met Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which is running the provisional government. Cameron also had scheduled meetings with Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Egypt Tries To Calm Israeli Fears
Updated at 4:15 p.m. est
Assuring Israel that nothing has changed since the historic 1979 Camp David Accords was the first public act of engaging in foreign policy by the military government in Egypt.
“The Arab Republic of Egypt is committed to all regional and international obligations and treaties,” a senior military officer said in a statement read this morning on state-owned television.
UPDATE: President Obama welcomed the statement in conversations today with the leaders of Britain, Jordan and Turkey.
"The President welcomed the historic change that has been made by the Egyptian people, and reaffirmed his admiration for their efforts. He also welcomed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ announcement today that it is committed to a democratic civilian transition, and will stand by Egypt’s international obligations," the White House said in a statement.
"The President emphasized his conviction that democracy will bring more – not less – stability to the region. He also stressed the U.S. commitment to provide the support that is necessary and requested by the Egyptian people to pursue a credible and orderly transition to democracy, including by working with international partners to provide financial support," the statement added.
Egypt's initial statement was meant to ease concerns aired publicly by the leaders of Israel, the oldest Democracy in the Middle East, as well as its backers in the United States, who quickly took to the airwaves and issued press releases adorned with fears that Egyptian democracy was a blight on the Jewish state next door.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has publicly warned that one of the scenarios under the Egyptian Revolution could be the emergence of another Iran-like Islamic state, welcomed the statement from the military government.
"The longstanding peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East," the Israeli leader said in a written statement.
Assuring Israel that nothing has changed since the historic 1979 Camp David Accords was the first public act of engaging in foreign policy by the military government in Egypt.
“The Arab Republic of Egypt is committed to all regional and international obligations and treaties,” a senior military officer said in a statement read this morning on state-owned television.
UPDATE: President Obama welcomed the statement in conversations today with the leaders of Britain, Jordan and Turkey.
"The President welcomed the historic change that has been made by the Egyptian people, and reaffirmed his admiration for their efforts. He also welcomed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ announcement today that it is committed to a democratic civilian transition, and will stand by Egypt’s international obligations," the White House said in a statement.
"The President emphasized his conviction that democracy will bring more – not less – stability to the region. He also stressed the U.S. commitment to provide the support that is necessary and requested by the Egyptian people to pursue a credible and orderly transition to democracy, including by working with international partners to provide financial support," the statement added.
Egypt's initial statement was meant to ease concerns aired publicly by the leaders of Israel, the oldest Democracy in the Middle East, as well as its backers in the United States, who quickly took to the airwaves and issued press releases adorned with fears that Egyptian democracy was a blight on the Jewish state next door.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has publicly warned that one of the scenarios under the Egyptian Revolution could be the emergence of another Iran-like Islamic state, welcomed the statement from the military government.
"The longstanding peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East," the Israeli leader said in a written statement.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Meet the Interim Leaders of Egypt
UPDATED 5:30 p.m. est
Vice President Omar Suleiman announced Friday in a 30-second statement that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will assume interim control of Egypt:
“Citizens, in these difficult circumstances that our country is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to relinquish the office of the presidency and has instructed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to take over the affairs of the country."
The Supreme Council, which appears to have forced out deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, issued a statement saying it would end the state of emergency and schedule free and fair elections in the future. Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, the armed forces chief of staff, and Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the defense minister, head the Supreme Council.
Statements issued so far by the Supreme Council:
First Statement 2/10/11
Second Statement 2/11/11
Third Statement 2/11/11
Here is what we know about the Supreme Council from:
The New York Times
The Wall Street Journal
AlJazeera English
NewsFlick
Democratic Underground
International Business Times
President Obama reacts to news of Mubarak's ouster:
Vice President Omar Suleiman announced Friday in a 30-second statement that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will assume interim control of Egypt:
“Citizens, in these difficult circumstances that our country is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to relinquish the office of the presidency and has instructed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to take over the affairs of the country."
The Supreme Council, which appears to have forced out deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, issued a statement saying it would end the state of emergency and schedule free and fair elections in the future. Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, the armed forces chief of staff, and Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the defense minister, head the Supreme Council.
Statements issued so far by the Supreme Council:
First Statement 2/10/11
Second Statement 2/11/11
Third Statement 2/11/11
Here is what we know about the Supreme Council from:
The New York Times
The Wall Street Journal
AlJazeera English
NewsFlick
Democratic Underground
International Business Times
President Obama reacts to news of Mubarak's ouster:
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