Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has governed the nation's affairs since the 11 February ouster of longstanding president Hosni Mubarak, is currently in talks with Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq to discuss the possible replacement of 12 provincial governors, an official military source said on Tuesday. The same source said the planned changes concerned the governors of North Sinai, Port Said, Suez, Ismailia, South Sinai, Cairo, Giza and Minya. The source added that the list of planned changes would also include governors who had recently submitted their resignations, including Qalyoubia Governor Adly Hussein, Alexandria Governor Adel Labib and 6 October City Governor Fathi Saad. Changes are focused on those governorates currently suffering from "problems and tensions," said the source, and on governors who are "not popular among the citizenry." With the exception of the governors of Port Said and North and South Sinai, new governors are expected to hail from civilian rather than military backgrounds. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
