civilian council.
CAIRO — President Mohammed Morsi refused to step down Wednesday and
called on the military not to "take sides" even as the army chief of
staff met with opposition figures and religious leaders to discuss its
"road map" for dramatic political reform.'
The military had called on Morsi 48 hours ago to yield to the mass
protests or step aside, but the Associated Press reported that he had
refused to step aside as the final minutes of the deadline ticked down
Wednesday.
State media reported that the "road map" would include a new interim
leadership, installed by the military, and a suspension of the
Islamist-backed constitution and the Islamist-dominated parliament.
The BBC reported that the army asked all but essential staff to leave
the state TV building ahead of the deadline, which expired around 4:30
p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET.).
At least 39 people have died since the protests began on Sunday. Many
of the latest deaths occurred after gunfire erupted outside Cairo
University in Giza, where pro-Morsi demonstrators gathered to show
support for the president, who comes from the 85-year-old Muslim
Brotherhood, the Associated Press reported.
The meeting between opposition groups and army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah
al-Sisi was announced by opposition spokesman Khaled Dwoud in a live
telephone interview with state television.
It included Mohamed ElBaradei, Egypt's leading democracy advocate, who
represents the opposition National Salvation Front coalition and the
youth groups leading anti-Morsi protesters. Also in attendance to
discuss the proposed political "road map" were Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb,
grand imam of Al-Azhar mosque, and Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of
Egypt's Coptic Christian minority.
Mohamed Abou El Ghar, president of the Egyptian Social Democratic
party, tells USA TODAY that the opposition is demanding that Morsi
must go, and that there should be a "civilian, temporary, honorary
president, preferably from the higher constitutional court and a
civilian prime minister with a small cabinet to run the country in the
coming period."
"The military and the police should only guard the borders and the
security inside the country," he said. "So, it should be clear in the
minds of the West that this is not a coup. This is not a military
coup."
Moving forward, he added, the opposition does not want to isolate the
Muslim Brotherhood. "We want the Muslim Brothers to share in the
future elections and the future parliament," he said.
As the deadline loomed, Morsi showed little interest in compromise,
however, going on national TV Tuesday night to reject calls for his
ouster.
A spokesman for Morsi, Ayman Ali, told Reuters that that president
believes it is better "to die standing like a tree" than turn back
history.
"It is better for a president, who would otherwise be returning Egypt
to the days of dictatorship, from which God and the will of the people
has saved us, to die standing like a tree," Ali tells the news
agency."Rather than be condemned by history and future generations for
throwing away the hopes of Egyptians for establishing a democratic
life."
In an emotional 46-minute speech, Morsi warned the military against
removing him, saying such action will "backfire on its perpetrators."
Morsi, who took office almost exactly one year ago, pledged to protect
his "constitutional legitimacy" with his life.
He accused loyalists of his ousted autocratic predecessor Hosni
Mubarak of exploiting the wave of protests to topple his regime and
thwart democracy.
"There is no substitute for legitimacy," said Morsi, who at times
angrily raised his voice, thrust his fist in the air and pounded the
podium. He warned that electoral and constitutional legitimacy "is the
only guarantee against violence."
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