CAIRO - Deputy Prime Minister Ali el-Selmi met Tuesday with some representatives of political powers, who reject his supra-constitutional principles document, in order to try and reach an agreement on it. It was reported that some amendments have been made to articles 9 and 10 in the document, concerned with the budget and legislation of the Armed Forces. The Salafist Da'wa Association Tuesday urged the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to clarify its position on the document, stressing today's deadline agreed on by the national powers for rejecting the document. The association stressed its opposition to drawing up a constitution or any article in it without the roadmap determined by the March 19 referendum, that stipulates that the next Parliament will choose the committee to write the Constitution. The association added that it will participate in next Friday's peaceful demonstration to be held in the main squares nationwide. The presidential hopefuls, meanwhile, have criticised the violence, thuggery, cutting of major roads and other unlawful activities that have been happening nationwide, calling on the SCAF to swiftly restore security on the streets. Amr Moussa, one of the hopefuls, called on Monday night for citizens to show some self-control at this critical time, urging them to oppose such acts and to co-operate with the security bodies in order to re-establish security. Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, another presidential hopeful, described the SCAF's performance as ‘confusing', because of its lack of political experience. Mohamed Selim el-Awa, a third hopeful, called on the SCAF to pull the document and to hand over power to civilians in April 2012. Minister of Tourism Munir Fakhry Abdel-Nour said that supra-constitutional principles document can't be cancelled, adding that there is no question about human rights and principles prevailing in Egypt, the official Middle East News Agency reported Tuesday. Abdel-Nour, a representative of the Government in the ongoing dialogue on the supra-constitutional principles, referred to as the ‘Selmi document', said that talks are being held with the political parties to reach an agreement on the document. Speaking about the absence of young people representing the Islamic political powers from the meeting held on Monday night at Opera House, Abdel-Nour said that only a few had responded to the invitation extended by Minister of Health Amr Helmi to all political trends. The attendees, however, differed as to whether the document is binding or just offers guidelines. Emad Abu Ghazi, Minister of Culture, said the document is not binding but acquires its power from all political powers agreeing to it. One of the participants suggested a popular referendum on the document in its final form.
