‘National Reconciliation’ Urges Move Against ‘Terrorism’: Egypt’s Presidency

Attendees of the national reconciliation meeting have stressed on the need to take action against “violence and terrorism,” Egypt’s presidency announced in a statement released on Wednesday night.

“Participants have called on the state to take the needed measures and procedures in order to confront violence and get rid of terrorism in accordance to the law,” read the statement, which was signed by the minister of transitional justice and national reconciliation, Mohamed Amin El-Mahdy.

The statement comes hours after General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, head of Egypt armed forces, called for protests on Friday to give the military a mandate to confront “violence and potential terrorism.”

“Egypt has already started a war on terrorism. El-Sisi’s calls are to protect the revolution and the state,” said presidential media advisor Ahmed El-Muslimany.

The meeting was led by interim President Adly Mansour and attended by Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei, representatives of several political forces, the Sunni Islam institute of Al-Azhar, and the Egyptian Coptic Church.

Attendees of Wednesday’s meeting have stressed that an enforcement of the law is a must in order to implement transitional justice. They also agreed on the formation of a committee concerned with means of applying transitional justice and national reconciliation, according to the presidency statement.

“Participants have expressed their regret for the absence of some representatives from the Islamic current,” read the statement.

The Muslim Brotherhood announced on Tuesday that it was going to boycott Wednesday’s national reconciliation session called for by interim President Adly Mansour, adding that it refused to acknowledge the current government.

While Salafist parties Al-Watan and Al-Nour were invited to join, neither attended the meeting.

Source : Ahram