No Decision Reached Over Pro-Morsi Sit-Ins: Presidential Source

Egypt’s National Security Council has not yet reached a decision on how to resolve the tense standoff over sit-ins by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

The security meeting, headed by interim President Adly Mansour, was held to reach a final resolution on how to deal with Morsi supporters who have been staging sit-ins at Nasr City’s Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in Cairo and in Giza’s Al-Nahda Square, a presidential source told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

Negotiations are still ongoing between the different governmental parties, the source said. Most likely security will besiege the sit-in instead of dispersing it by force to avoid possible violence, the source added. No press release is expected to be issued following the meeting.

Egypt’s interim president convened a high-level security meeting at the presidential palace in Cairo’s Heliopolis district earlier on Monday, informed sources told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

The meeting addressed options for ending two sizeable sit-ins held by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi after the government signalled an end of “diplomatic efforts” to resolve the ongoing stand-off with Morsi’s Islamist supporters following his 3 July ouster.

Tensions have been running high in Egypt after cabinet and interior ministry officials said a crackdown on pro-Morsi protest camps was imminent, fuelling fears of a violent confrontation between security forces and Morsi supporters clamouring for Morsi’s reinstatement.

Source : Ahram