Amr Moussa, chairman of the 50-person Constituent Assembly, said articles dealing with the armed forces in Egypt's constitution are still under discussion and in the drafting stage.
He also said military representatives and other committee members are in full agreement about the direction of amendments.
Moussa said that the meeting on Thursday between committee members and representatives of the armed forces did not fail to reach an agreement on the future appointment of defense ministers and military trials for civilians. “These are being drafted in a way that helps the armed forces face terrorism without violating the rights and freedoms of the citizens,” he said.
The committee chief said the organization will meet again after the Eid holidays, when army, judicial and state representatives will round up discussions on articles dealing with their respective institutions.
“The basic rule is to establish a civil and democratic constitution that guarantees equality before the law for all,” he said.
“Do not rush things," Moussa urged, "the committee was formed less than a month ago."
Abdel Ghaffar Shokr, leader of the People's Alliance Socialist Party, meanwhile claimed disputes within the Constituent Assembly over the military's place in the constitution run deep and will not be resolved so easily.
“The armed forces do not want to give up what they got in the 2012 Constitution,” he argued.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
