The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt issued a new statement, titled ‘Constitutional Proclamation’, on Sunday.

Accordingly:

• The Constitution is suspended. Both Houses of Parliament, the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council, are dissolved.
• The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is to govern Egypt for 6 months OR until Parliamentary and Presidential elections are held.
• The Supreme Council has the power to issue laws – a suspiciously wide power for a caretaker government.
• Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi is the new Head of Government. Tantawi is General Commander of the Armed Forces and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He is a long serving Minister of Defence Minister and recently appointed, after the protests began on Jan. 25, as Deputy Prime Minister.
• Constitutional amendments is to be formulated by a Committee, to to-be established at a future date, then will be approved by a popular referendum – to be held at a date yet to be decided.
• Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq’s cabinet, which was appointed by Mr Mubarak shortly after the protests began on Jan. 25, will continue as a caretaker Cabinet ‘until a new Cabinet is formed’ –  perhaps it is to stay until new elections are held.
• The statement pledged Parliamentary and Presidential elections will be held, though it shied away from setting definite timeframe.
• It also reiterated its commitment to implementing all international treaties and covenants to which Egypt is party.

With regard to the fate of Omar Suleiman who was appointed by Mr Mubarak shortly after the protests began, Prime Minister Shafiq said today, to the British press Telegraph, that: the military would decide whether he would play some role in Egypt’s transition. “He might fill an important position in the coming era,” the prime minister said.

Who is the new Head of Government?

(Here is a brief profile posted by Al-Jazeera, on Feb 11/’11)

Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

Field Marshal Tantawi became minister of defence and commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces in 1991. In so doing, he became the first Egyptian to hold the rank of field marshal after 1989.

Some reports suggest that Tantawi, 75, has been seen as a possible contender for the Egyptian presidency.

During the 2011 Egyptian protests, Tantawi was promoted to the ministerial rank of deputy prime minister, while retaining the defence portfolio.

Tantawi famously became the first member of government to visit Tahrir Square on February 4. He is said to have engaged military officers as well as protesters during his brief visit.

Tantawi served in three wars against Israel, starting with the 1956 Suez Crisis and the 1967 and 1973 Middle East wars.

[A brief profile of key members of the Generals running Egypt will be provided in this blog very soon]

Read below the new Statement from Egypt Army – on Sunday Feb.13/2011.

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The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces: Constitutional Proclamation

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, aware of this critical moment in the history of the nation; fulfilling its historical and constitutional responsibility to protect the country and to preserve the safety and security of its territory, and aspiring to fulfill their duty to administer the affairs of the country, fully cognizant that the true challenge that faces our dear country Egypt is to release the creative powers of every member of our great people by providing freedom, and facilitating democratic processes through constitutional and legislative amendments, which the fulfill to the legitimate demands expressed by the people recently, and which go even further to wider horizons worthy of the stature of Egypt whose people built the first civilization in human history.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces believes that human freedom, the rule of law, support for the value of equality, pluralistic democracy, social justice, and the uprooting of corruption are the bases for the legitimacy of any system of governance that will lead the country in the upcoming period. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces also equally believes that the dignity of the nation, is merely the reflection of the dignity of every one of its member, and that the free citizens, proud of their humanity, are the cornerstone of the a strong nation, and in light of the aforementioned and based upon it, and with a view to achieving a renaissance of our people the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has decided the following:

First: the Constitution is suspended.

Second: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shall temporarily administer the affairs of the country for a period of 6 months or until People’s Assembly, Shura Council and Presidential elections are held.

Third: The Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shall represent it internally and externally.

Fourth: The People’s Assembly and the Shura Council are dissolved.

Fifth: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shall issue laws during this transitional period.

Sixth: A committee to amend a number of articles of the constitution shall be established, and a popular referendum shall be held.

Seventh: The government of Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Shafik shall continue its work until a new government is formed.

Eighth: Elections for the People’s Assembly, the Shura Council and the Presidency shall be held.

Ninth: The State is committed to implementing all international treaties and covenants to which it is party.

God is the source of success and support.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi
General Commander of the Armed Forces
Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces

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