CAIRO - The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced that it would hold a series of meetings next week with the revolution's youth, pointing out that a hall set for the dialogue was not big enough to meet youth from all groups. However, some youth coalitions said they would not take part in the dialogue until the SCAF makes a clear-cut agenda on the issues to be discussed and the goal from such a dialogue. The SCAF posted an invitation on its official Facebook page yesterday with instructions to the youth to fax their individual RSVPs. “Out of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' belief in the importance of communication with the youth of the revolution, more meetings will be held next week to communicate with as many youth as possible,” read the council's 62nd communiqué. “We shut down our fax machines Tuesday at 13:00 after the required number of youth, 1,000, was met,” it added. Over the past few weeks, the ruling military council has been frequently criticised by a number of political forces. Some activist groups rejected the talks with the SCAF, demanding an end to military trials of civilians prior to any dialogue. In a statement, 23 pro-democracy groups, coalitions and political parties, including the prominent Revolution's Youth Coalition and April 6 movement, said they would boycott the meeting. "There should be a clear agenda on the issues to be discussed, aims of this dialogue, the mechanism to implement what will be agreed upon," said George Ishaq, a co-founder of Kefaya protest group. He added that his group as well as April 6th Youth Movement and some other youth groups would raise the banner: Constitution first" in the coming stage. "Such a dialogue cannot take place while there are laws criminalising demonstrations, strikes and peaceful sit-ins and freedom of expression," said Tareq el-Kholi of April 6th Youth Movement.
