Egypt’s Junta Vows to Cooperate With President Morsi

Egypt’s ruling military Chief Hussein Tantawi pledged on Monday to cooperate with the elected president to achieve stability in the country.

“The armed force supports the legitimate president who was elected by the people’s will, and will cooperate with him to achieve stability, the rule of law,” said Tantawi in his first meeting with president-elect Mohamed Morsi.

During the meeting, Morsi extended deep thanks to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ (SCAF) management of the country during the transition period, according to official MENA news agency.

Morsi praised them for respecting the popular will of the Egyptians who carried out revolution seeking freedom and social justice.

Morsi also hailed the armed forces for managing the electoral process with integrity and democracy, which brought the first civilian president of the country over the past six decades.

Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri resigned after seven months in office, according to the constitutional rules, which stipulated the government should resign after the election of a new president, MENA reported.

However, local websites said Ganzouri submitted the resignation to Tantawi, who asked him to stay until the new president takes oath and assigns a new cabinet.

Ganzouri met Morsi on Monday in the presidential headquarters to inform him of the latest security and economic developments.

This was the first time since a year and a half to reuse the presidency palace, after it was deserted by ousted former president Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi will take presidential oath before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Freedom and Justice Party leader Sobhi Saleh said on Monday, asserting “it does not mean Morsi acknowledges the recent decision to dissolve the parliament.”

The Higher Presidential Election Commission announced on Sunday that Morsi won 51.7 percent of votes in the run-off round, defeating his rival Ahmed Shafiq, who got 48.3 percent.

The ruling military council will transfer power to Morsi by June 30 as planned. But according to the supplementary constitutional declaration issued by the SCAF on June 17, the SCAF has retaken legislation power after the dissolution of the People’s Assembly (lower house of parliament).