UNCLASSIFIED

Egyptian Independent Opposition Website/Press Review

GMP20110221950026 Caversham BBC Monitoring in English 0001 GMT 21 Feb 11 The Egyptian press on 21 February highlighted the expected constitutional amendments and the potential cabinet reshuffle. The press also gave prominence to the current investigations with former ministers and officials on charges of corruption. Commentaries and editorials, on the other hand, hailed the "revolution", warning of "hijackers". Many writers call for "eradication of the remnants of the former regime". State-run press The largest circulated daily Al-Ahram lead its front page with a red bold banner headline saying: "Powers of president of the republic to be amended." It quoted a member of the committee tasked with the amendment of the constitution as saying that the term of presidency will be limited to two terms, six year each. The daily highlighted the anticipated cabinet reshuffle, mentioning some names expected to be appointed in the new government. "Large cabinet reshuffle in Shafiq's government to be made within hours," a headline read. Other front-page headlines tackled protests in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco and Iran. Al-Akhbar daily devoted its front page to bold headlines ranging from the expected cabinet reshuffle to alleged corruption cases. "New ministers to be sworn in before [military chief] Tantawi tomorrow," the top headline read. The paper noted that 80 per cent of old ministers would quit. The paper highlighted Egypt's request for the EU to write off debt interests. Most front-page headlines of Al-Jumhuriyah daily tackled alleged corruption cases. Under the headline "Egypt removes corrupt figures and adventurers", the daily recounted some charges of corruption leveled against former ministers and businessmen. The paper also highlighted the submission by former President Hosni Mubarak of a report on his wealth. Rose al-Yusuf newspaper gave prominence to the expected constitutional amendments. It also highlighted charges of corruption leveled against former ministers. "Public prosecutor receives reports about corruption of [former premier] Nazif's government," a

headline said. The paper reported that 116 officials and businessmen were banned from traveling abroad. Opposition, independent press The opposition daily Al-Wafd highlighted reports submitted to the public prosecutor accusing former top officials of corruption and vandalism. It also tackled reports about Mubarak's wealth. "Britain seeks to make inventory of Mubarak's property," the daily's top front-page headline read. Other headlines tackled protests elsewhere in the Arab world. The independent daily Al-Misri al-Yawm highlighted the expected constitutional amendments, Mubarak's report on his wealth, and alleged corruption cases. It quoted Muhammad al-Barad'i as saying: "I do not mind running in the presidential election if people want so." The independent daily Al-Dustur devoted most of its front-page headlines to the expected cabinet reshuffle. The daily rejected what it called "the return of businessmen to the cabinet". On its front page, the independent daily Al-Shuruq highlighted the expected constitutional amendments and the underway questioning of former ministers on charges of corruption. The paper also highlighted the remarks given to the official TV last night by veteran writer Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal, in which he said: "Mubarak's stay in Sharm al-Shaykh poses danger to the revolution." Haykal said that Mubarak could establish an "anti-revolution" bloc in the Red Sea resort. Commentaries, editorials Writing in Al-Ahram, Abd-al-Mu'ti Ahmad said "the revolution has not achieved its goals yet". "The old regime still exists, and its remnants and tails are still occupying their posts in ministries and institutions," he said. Ahmad called for the establishment of "a sovereign state with law, justice and equality". He also called for drafting a new constitution, since "the existing constitution grants dictatorial powers to the president". Al-Ahram's editorial warned against "a coup" by "the remnants of the former regime" against the "revolution". In Al-Akhbar daily, Muhammad Hasan al-Banna wrote about potential presidents of Egypt. He said he rejected Arab League chief Amr Musa to assume power because of his old age. He also rejected Al-Barad'i "because he lived abroad longer than he lived in Egypt". "So, he [Al-Barad'i] knows nothing about the sufferings of farmers, workers and poor families," he said. Al-Banna said the coming president should be young and represent the majority of people. Hailing the "revolution", the editorial of Al-Jumhuriyah said: "Time will not go back, and the youth revolution, which is now a revolution of all people, will not backtrack on its legitimate goals and demands." In Al-Wafd daily, Osama Haykal urges the people not be happy with toppling Mubarak's

regime "as the road leading to democracy is still long and hard". "This road requires the people to unite," he said. In the same daily, Ahmad Arafat warns of "the remnants of the former regime who conspire against the revolution and seek to nip it in the bud". In the same daily, Ala Uraybi warned against "rumors" that the opposition Muslim Brotherhood led the recent protests and "controlled the Friday of Victory". "Raising such issues in the current transitional period is meant to abort the revolution and foil its gains. It also aims to cause split and conflict between Muslims and Christians," he said. "These rumors stress the corrupt regime's claims that the alternative to dictatorship is the extremist Islamist rule," Uraybi said. He urged the media and politicians to "keep away from that dirty issue". In Al-Misri al-Yawm daily, Nasr al-Qaffas also warned of "the remnants of the former regime". "Obviously, they are plotting a conspiracy to terrify the country and citizens," he said. In Al-Dustur daily, Adil al-Adawi urges the youths who participated in the "revolution" to form a political party. "Those youths are the country's mind and power," he said. "The great revolution, which is expected to reshape the political map in the Middle East and the world, needs now to come up with new thinkers," he added. In Al-Shuruq daily, Imad-al-Din Hussain criticized the state-owned press for changing their tone after Mubarak stepped down. "We all know how these newspapers dealt with those corrupt officials before they fell down. These newspapers used to take the statements of those officials as gospel," he said. "These newspapers - I mean the chief editors - dealt with the revolution as a game or riots, and then they turned into heroes and revolutionists when the regime fell down," he added. Concluding his article, Hussain urged the state-owned media to "abide by the minimum limit of objectivity".

[Description of Source: Caversham BBC Monitoring in English -- Monitoring service of the BBC, the United Kingdom's public service broadcaster ]