Egypt President Mursi explains army chief replacement

Cairo, 13 Aug – (ANA) - Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has said his move to order the retirement of two of the country's top generals was for "the benefit of this nation". He was speaking after replacing the powerful head of the armed forces, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, and the chief-of-staff, Gen Sami Annan. Mr Mursi is said to have issued a new constitutional declaration giving him broad legislative and executive powers. The generals assumed presidential powers after the fall of Hosni Mubarak. Mr Mursi annulled a key constitutional declaration issued in June which gave the military legislative powers and budgetary controls as well as the right to oversee the process of drawing up a new permanent constitution. It is not clear how the Supreme Constitutional Court will react to Mr Mursi's move to nullify the decree. "The decisions I took today were not meant ever to target certain persons, nor did I intend to embarrass institutions, nor was my aim to narrow freedoms," Mr Mursi said during a speech to mark the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. "I did not mean to send a negative message about anyone, but my aim was the benefit of this nation and its people," he said. The president also praised the armed forces, saying they would now focus "on the holy mission of protecting the nation". It was announced earlier that a career army officer, Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, would replace Field Marshal Tantawi as both armed forces chief and defence minister. Field Marshal Tantawi, 76, has not yet indicated whether he accepts the moves. However, Gen Mohammed al-Assar, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), told the Reuters news agency the decision had been "based on consultation with the field marshal, and the rest of the military council". A presidential spokesman said Gen Annan and Field Marshal Tantawi had been appointed as presidential advisers and were given Egypt's highest state honour, the Grand Collar of the Nile. As head of Scaf, Field Marshal Tantawi became Egypt's interim ruler after President Mubarak was ousted following last year's mass protests. (ANA)

FA/ANA/13 August 2012------------