Beblawi named PM; key role for ElBaradei
Cairo, July 9, 2013
Egypt's interim president on Tuesday named liberal economist and former finance minister Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister in a transitional government, as the authorities sought to steer the country to new parliamentary and presidential elections.
Acting head of state Adli Mansour also appointed former UN nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei as deputy to the president, responsible for foreign affairs.
The hardline Islamist Nour Party, which has held up the political process by objecting to several candidates put forward by military-backed interim authorities, said it would support Beblawi's appointment.
The head of the party added that it was still studying ElBaradei's appointment.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood rejected a decree issued by Mansour overnight, which set a timetable for new elections and set up a mechanism to amend the constitution.
Senior Brotherhood politician Essam El-Erian said the decree was "usurping legislative power" and an act of "someone appointed by the putschists".
Mansour's decree issued overnight sets out a timetable that could lead to parliamentary elections in about six months, to be followed by a new presidential election. The constitution would be amended and again put to public vote in a referendum.
The Brotherhood is demanding the military reinstate Mursi as president and has said it will have nothing to do with the military-backed transition. - Reuters
