CAIRO: General Secretariat of the Freedom and Justice Party Mohamed Saad al-Katatny said the party has taken the decision not to participate in the Advisory Council being formed. He also said the party had confirmed their participation, thinking the council would be an advisory authority helping the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) during the transitional period. Katatny said in an official statement by the party, after participating in the preliminary negotiation sessions and numerous journalistic statements, the Advisory Council's tasks appeared to be more than was previously thought. He also said the council's tasks are direct criticism of the legal authority and clear interference in forming the foundation's organization for the constitution. Secretariat of the FJP Mohamed al-Beltagy said it retreated from the council in protest at what he claimed to be an attempt at imposing the Advisory Council's recommendations on parliament. "We consider the parliament to be the council which expresses the people's will," said al-Beltagy.
