A week of growing tension between the military and youth movements has been defused, reports Mohamed Abdel-Baky A five-hour meeting between the Higher Council of the Armed Forces (HCAF) and representatives of various youth movements went some way to restoring confidence between the two following last Friday's clashes between protesters and the military police. Sunday's marathon meeting came after several youth movements threatened a sit-in in Tahrir Square and civil disobedience across the country unless the HCAF dismissed the government led by Ahmed Shafik and drafted a time table to meet the revolution's demands. At the meeting representatives of the youth movements, under the umbrella grouping the Youth Coalition of the Rage Revolution (YCR), presented comprehensive proposals to govern the transition. YCR is one of seven unions formed during the revolution. It includes the 6 April Youth Movement, Youth for Freedom and Justice, the El-Baradei Campaign, the Muslim Brotherhood Youth Group, the Democratic Front's youth group and the National Association of Change. The proposals, obtained by Al-Ahram Weekly, include a change in legislation regulating political participation and the creation of political parties and the replacement of the current government with a new transitional government formed from public figures "in the next few weeks". The coalition also suggested that a Presidential Council be formed, comprising one military official representing the HCAF and two civilians, to run the country alongside the transitional government for a year, at the end of which parliamentary elections would be held. "We are not ready for parliamentary election now. We all agree that a delay is necessary," says YCR member Nasser Abdel-Fatah. Extending the transitional phase to 12 rather than six months will allow all the demanded reforms to be in place before elections and facilitate the building of a grassroots base by any new political parties. Last week there were reports that the parliamentary elections would be held in June and a presidential poll in August, leading to fears that the People's Assembly elected under such a cramped timetable would simply replicate the business interest dominated assembly dismissed last month. In case the military objected to forming a presidential council, the YCR said it would accept a presidential election in August or September, ahead of parliamentary elections in February or March next year. The compromise, says YCR member Ahmed Maher, was opposed by the HCAF on the grounds that any new president must swear the presidential oath before parliament. The HCAF, Maher added, had decided to hold a weekly meeting with the YCR to discuss developments as they arise. "We welcome the proposed constitutional amendments and see them as a step in the right direction for the transitional phase Egypt is undergoing," says Inji Hamdi, spokesperson of the 6 April Movement. Coalition members say the HCAF agreed during the meeting to dismiss the Shafik government ahead of any election. "The army said that it will end the state of emergency soon and the HCAF is currently studying how the State Security Agency can be restructured," YCR member Hossam Moanes told the Weekly. He revealed that the coalition had demanded the release of all political prisoners within a month and that the military officers who ordered Friday's attack against protesters be held accountable. On Friday more than 150,000 Egyptians protested in Tahrir Square against the Shafik government. "We called the protest to remind the military that it has promised to guard the Egyptian revolution," said Maher. At midnight military police clashed with more than 300 protesters near the prime minister's office. Activists say the military police used batons to force demonstrators away from the area. On Saturday morning the HCAF issued an apology on its official Facebook page to "the 25 January Youth" for what it described as "unintentional friction" between military policemen and protesters. The council stressed that it remained committed to achieving the revolution's goals, and insisted no orders were or will be given to attack Egyptians. The coalition has said it will continue to organise Friday protests in Tahrir Square to pressure the military into implementing reforms. It has refused an invitation to meet with Prime Minister Shafik to discuss its demands.
