Reuters - The new government formed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will meet in full this Monday for the first time since the start of the challenge to the regime, which continues in downtown Cairo despite the opening of negotiations with the opposition.
In power for nearly 30 years, Hosni Mubarak announced he would not seek re-election in presidential elections scheduled for September.However, he does not quit the presidency by then and he demands a return to calm during this transition period.
The opponents have been protesting on January 25 Tahrir Square, however, camped on their position: they demand the immediate departure of Hosni Mubarak and provide for new rallies Tuesday and Friday.
To facilitate traffic around Tahrir Square, one of the main intersections in the Egyptian capital, the army tried early Monday to reduce the space occupied by the protesters.These are strongly out of their tents to surround the soldiers and prevent them from achieving their goals.
To prevent any action of the army, dozens of protesters decided to sleep at the wheel of armor.
"The army is getting impatient and demonstrators as well.The army wants to cram into a small circle in the middle of the square in order to restore circulation, "said Mohamed Chalabi, a protester of 27 years, interviewed by telephone by
Reuters.
Skepticism
The activity resumed in much of the country on Sunday and the banks have reopened, long queues forming to withdraw cash.
A form of weariness seems evident in the population after nearly two weeks of deadlock.
Hosni Mubarak reshuffled his government in late January to try to appease the anger of hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protested several times against a
regime since 1981, against poverty, corruption and lack of freedoms.The government also discussed the release of political prisoners, freedom of the press and the lifting of emergency rule.
The opposition has reacted with caution and skepticism in the absence of reforms. Abdel Monem Abul Fotouh, Muslim Brotherhood, held that the Government's statement reflected "good intentions but without including strong changes.
President Barack Obama said Sunday that Egypt was committed to an irreversible process and that the time had come for change.
