A meeting between members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and representatives of 18 political parties and independent members of Parliament concluded that the ruling military council will issue a complementary constitutional deceleration setting the criteria for the formation of the Constituent Assembly if the parties fail to reach an agreement on the issue by Thursday.
Independent MP Mostafa Bakry announced the news after the meeting, according to state-run MENA news service.
Participants in the meeting agreed that Thursday will be the deadline for parties to reach a final decision on the issue, Bakry added. He explained that the complementary constitutional declaration would also set the timeline for drafting the new constitution and putting it to s referendum, saying that this would be announced before the presidential runoff on 16 and 17 June.
Al-Masry Al-Youm cited MP Mostafa Bakry as saying that the attendees discussed the demands of the ongoing Tahrir protests, and rejected the idea of a civilian presidential council and said the presidential runoff should be held on time.
SCAF head Hussein Tantawi said during the meeting that, “The military council insists that the runoff election go forward and trusts that it will be fair and transparent,” Bakry reported.
“Tantawi confirmed that the military council is keen to hand over power to a civilian president on 30 June,” added Bakry.
The meeting was presided over by Tantawi, but the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party boycotted it.
In a statement, the party said it would not attend the meeting as it is not relevant to the country's current political situation, and is taking place just days before the presidential election concludes.
The party said it would absolutely reject any amendments to the Constitutional Declaration, as they would disrespect the will of the people who voted in the March 2011 referendum.
The Salafi-oriented Nour Party sent two representatives, while the Wafd, Free Egyptians, Construction and Development, Karama, Freedom, Tagammu, Egyptian Citizen, Asala, Modern Egypt, Union, Socialist Arab, Justice, Democratic Peace, Generation, and Democratic Front parties sent one each.
Four independent MPs — Mostafa Bakry, Maryan Kamal, Yasser al-Qady and Mohamed Abou Hamed — were also in attendance.
Sami Anan, chief of staff of the armed forces and vice head of the ruling military council, as well as several other SCAF members, attended the meeting.
Edited translation from MENA
