02-07-2011 09:28 BJT
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In Cairo anti-government protests entered their 13th day on Sunday. Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman has held talks with opposition groups and protesters. During the meeting, both sides agreed to form a committee to push for constitutional reform, and end the country's emergency law. But Suleiman has rejected calls to take over the presidency.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Wafd party, Tagammu and independent political and business figures attended the meeting with Vice President Omar Suleiman.
All parties agreed on the formation of a committee made up of judiciary and political figures to study and propose constitutional amendments before March.
The meeting agreed that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should not run for another term after September 2011, and that the country's controversial emergency law should end according to the security condition of the country.
The law has been in force since 1981 following the assassination of former President Anwar Sadat by a group named Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
The Egyptian parliament extended the law for an extra two years last May. The opposition has condemned the law for facilitating the government's crackdown on them.
Hossam Badrawi, Secretary-General of National Democratic Party said "Lifting the emergency state once the security situation is over is the declared intention. The release of political detainees arrested during protests sends a strong message that our attitude has shifted."
The meeting also agreed on the formation of a committee to receive complaints about political prisoners and lift restrictions on the media. They also agreed that none of the groups wanted any foreign interference in the Egyptian affairs.
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