CAIRO - Who will make up Egypt's latest interim Government? This is the question being asked by the Egyptians as the new Cabinet having a mix of technocrat and politicians is expected to be sworn in this week. On foot and alone, Prime Minister designate Essam Sharaf, for the first time since he was picked for job early on Thursday, arrived at his office, where he began marathon talks to choose members of his Government. Upon getting into the Cabinet headquarters in downtown Cairo, Sharaf, a former Transport Minister, received Yehia el-Gamal, who has been the vice prime minister for Sharaf's predecessor Ahmed Shafiq. "El-Gamal will keep his post as a vice prime minister," a source close to the consultations said, adding that he was helping the Prime Minister-designate to select the new ministers. Within three hours, Sharaf received minister of Education and Higher Education Ahmed Gamal Eddin Moussa; Minister of Scientific Research and Technology Amr Salama; and Minister of Finance Samir Radwan. "The three will maintain their seats," the source told The Gazette. Magdi Radi, a spokesman for the Cabinet who worked with the former two prime ministers, said the new Cabinet would be sworn in by the end of the week. "Transparent consultations to form the new Cabinet will take several days," said Radi, adding that the new Government would include technocrat as well as political faces. Radi pointed out that the task of the new Government would jump-start the economy, and managing the political changes during this transitional period. The spokesman disclosed that Sharaf had discussed at a meeting yesterday with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces means to re-establish security in the streets, Egyptians' getting down to work as well as the economic challenges at present. Sharaf's appointment placated protesters, some of whom continued to rally in Al Tahrir Square to demand that the Cabinet be purged of old regime's members including ministers of the interior, justice, electricity, the environment, military production and foreign ministry. "The revolution will never accept any face belonging to the old guard in Sharaf's Government," said Mohamed el-Beltagui, a senior figure of the influential Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood. El-Beltagui, once an MP, added that the protesters would give the Government a two-week moratorium, to form an idea about its plans. "Yes, of course. There could be more protests after two weeks," el-Beltagui told The Gazette by phone. As speculations were rife over new ministers, an activist affiliated to January 25 Revolution Coalition, who attended several meetings with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, told this newspaper that Nabil el-Arabi, a former diplomat was tipped to be a foreign minister. El-Arabi, 75, is a veteran Egyptian diplomat, who works as judge in the International Court of Justice. He had a role in regaining Taba from Israel. "Nashaat el-Hilali is expected to be minister of the interior and Ibrahim Zahran could be a minister of oil," said the activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, judges forwarded a petition to Premier Sharaf asking for the appointment of Adel Abdel Hamid, a former chief of the Supreme Judicial Council, as minister of justice. Archaeologists also asked for Zahi Hawass, the minister of State for antiquity affairs, to keep the portfolio. No word was immediately available on ministers of solidarity and social justice, tourism and health. Sharaf vowed to respond to demands for democratic change as he addressed thousands of protesters in Al Tahrir Square on Friday.
