CAIRO: Political movements expressed their resentment Saturday, after being excluded from a meeting between the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and political parties that focused on a timetable for the transition of power and the Electoral Law, underlining difference between them and political parties. For the second time in a row, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces only invited political parties. Youth movements said such a move was a continuation of the former regime's policies Other political movements did not see this as problematic, saying their voices reach all people regardless of being invited to closed-door meetings. Amr Hamid, member of the Revolution Youth Union's executive bureau, criticized the council's policies of neglecting youth opinion on Egypt's status quo, and tendency to only hold meeting in critical situations. Hamid said that if the SCAF invitation was sent to them, political movements would refuse it, as they know they demands would not be met. Ahmed Maher, general coordinator of the April 6 Movement, said the council's invitation was only extended to political parties as their demands are not as tough as those of political movements. Maher also said April 6 would reject any invitation because the Council did not apologize to the movement after attempting to defame its image. Egyptian activist Asmaa Mahfouz, member of Egyptian Current Party, said the SCAF feared political movements' refusal of its invitation, so the movements are not invited. She also added that the council knows the youth's demands are non-negotiable. Mahfouz called on all political parties to refuse invitations from the SCAF. She asked political parties who attended the meeting if they had not learned from the last meeting with the council, when the military council snubbed their demands. Yasser el-Hawari, member of Youth for Justice and Freedom, said the demands are very clear so there is no need for holding meetings. He sees what is going on is a scaling back of the January 25 Revolution. “The SCAF only invites those who may respond under pressures, so youth movements will never give up. There will not be negotiations except after meeting all the demands of January 25 Revolution.”
