Egyptian interim President Mansour appoints ex-finance minister as new PM

In this image released by the Egyptian Presidency, interim President Adly Mansour, right, meets with Hazem el-Beblawi, left, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, July 9, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt’s interim President Adli Mansour appointed Tuesday ex-finance minister Hazem al-Beblawi as prime minister and leading figure of the National Salvation Front (NSF) Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president for foreign affairs in the transitional government.

Al-Beblawi served as the finance minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Essam Sharaf, who resigned in late November 2011.

ElBaradei, the leader of the NSF, who is in opposition to ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s administration, is the former head of the International Agency for Atomic Energy.

Last Wednesday, the embattled Morsi was ousted by the army after millions of people took to the streets to protest against his “poor performance” and “maladministration” since he took office a year ago. The armed forces then handed over power to the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court to run the country for a transitional period.

On late Saturday evening, Egypt’s newly-appointed presidential media adviser denied the appointment of ElBaradei as the country’s interim prime minister. Salafist al-Nour Party objected the appointment of ElBaradei due to his liberal affiliation.

Meantime, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), also rejected ElBaradei’s nomination.

Later on Tuesday, the armed forces said in an audio speech aired on state TV that “no faction should be deviated from the crisis track, because the nation’s destiny is more sacred than hindering the public interests, no matter what the excuses are.”

Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi stressed in the speech that the nation’s destiny wouldn’t be a field for conspiracies, or political maneuvers.

The death toll of Monday’s clashes between security forces and supporters of the deposed president rose to 51, while 435 were injured with birdshots and live bullets.

On Monday, Mansour adopted a temporary constitutional declaration, outlining a timetable for the transitional period which begins the day the charter was issued and lasts at least for six months until presidential elections are held.

In this image released by the Egyptian Presidency, Hazem el-Beblawi meets with interim President Adly Mansour, unseen, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, July 9, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Egyptian Presidency)

In the military statement, al-Sisi reaffirmed that the legitimate interim president and representative for the highest judicial authority has issued a constitutional declaration with fixed timetable for the constitution rebuilding, in a way that guarantees and achieves the people’s will.

The caretaker president’s roadmap, outlined in his constitutional declaration, sends reassuring messages to the Egyptians and tends to set off the development with transparency, added the defense minister.

Hazem al-Beblawi said he would start consultations to form the new government, as from Wednesday at the presidency headquarters.

MENA quoted Beblawi as saying he couldn’t set a specific time for finishing the government formation, though he wishes to swiftly do so, as the country is passing through critical time.

Late evening of Tuesday, a presidential media adviser, Ahmed al- Mislimani, said that some portfolios in the new government will be offered to the MB’s FJP, Nour Party and Islamists.

In statements to the CBC satellite channel on Tuesday, Mislimani said that the new government lineup will include from 15 to 20 portfolios.

Mislimani asserted that competency is the only criteria for choosing the new ministers.

Egyptian presidency called Tuesday on Egyptians to achieve national reconciliation and to renounce sedition.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the beginning of Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, the presidency said that it prays for God to keep the country peaceful and secure.

Under the title, “One Nation”, the presidency called on Egyptians to stop bloodshed and rifts, and to go back for reconciliation, reiterating that it’s going to invite all parties to a meeting during the first week of Ramadan.

The presidency hailed the role of Al-Azahar and its Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayyeb, in the reconciliation process, adding that the presidency will sponsor any efforts to achieve reconciliation. <Xinhua/NEWSis>