The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on Saturday called for a peaceful transition towards a free and democratic civilian-led Egypt in the wake of President Hosni Mubarak's resignation.
"There will be a peaceful transition of power when the environment allows for a freely elected government that governs the land by democracy," a military spokesman said.
The council ran the country's affairs following Mubarak's departure on Friday after 18 days of massive pro-democracy protests. His former cabinet will remain in place until a new government is formed, the spokesman said.
The army stopped short of announcing a timeframe for the transition, but said that Egypt will respect past agreements. It called on state security officials to respect their oath to work for the safety and stability of citizens nationwide.
Deadly clashes during the protests had reinforced long held hostilities between citizens and the police.
