Egyptian Presidency, Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour makes his first address to the nation since taking his post after the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, in Cairo, Egypt July 18, 2013 (Photo: AP)
A statement released by the presidency Saturday said that the National Defence Council (NDC) — assembled and headed by Interim President Adly Mansour — supports government efforts to restore security, especially regarding “security threats” posed by two Cairo sit-ins held by loyalists of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
The meeting agreed upon several recommendations on dealing with sit-ins at Nasr City’s Rabaa Al-Adawiya Mosque and in Giza’s Nahda Square in accordance with human rights obligations. The government should not take steps to confront the two sit-ins until all efforts to mediate and negotiate a solution that would protect lives, regardless of political affiliation, are exhausted.
The NDC called on citizens gathered at Rabaa Al-Adawiya and Al-Nahda Square to “take up their responsibility, reject violence and join the new roadmap.” The NDC vowed in its statement not to allow anything to present an obstacle to the new political roadmap, or “threaten citizens or manipulate the state."
Morsi loyalists have been staging two large sit-ins at Rabaa Al-Adawiya and Al-Nahda Square since 28 June. Clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents or security forces have left around 200 dead and hundreds injured in July.
On Saturday, Egypt's interior ministry released a statement renewing its promise to protect Morsi supporters who leave the sit-ins.
Earlier in the week, the Cabinet green-lighted the interior ministry to confront by all legal measures acts of "terrorism and road-blocking."
Meanwhile, Vice President for Foreign Affairs Mohamed ElBaradei said he would gladly lead talks with Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood to prevent more bloodshed, and that he is hopeful a solution can be found to the current crisis, as quoted in interview with The Washington Post Friday.
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