Thursday, January 12, 2012

Jimmy Carter doubts military will fully submit to civilian rule



Al-Masry Al-Youm

"Former US President Jimmy Carter, following a meeting with Egypt's military rulers, expressed doubt they would completely submit to a civilian government, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

Carter, 87, was in Cairo with a group from his human rights organization, the Carter Center, to help monitor the end of the final round of the first parliamentary elections since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power last February, the Times said.

"'Full civilian control' is a little excessive, I think," Carter was quoted as telling the Times after describing his meeting with Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, leader of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

"I don't think the SCAF is going to turn over full responsibility to the civilian government. There are going to be some privileges of the military that would probably be protected," Carter added, according to the Times.

While Carter said the elections had appeared to be free and fair thus far, a more pressing matter was how much power Egypt's military leaders would cede to the newly elected parliament, or the constitutional assembly it is expected to pick....."

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