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Egypt opposition backs referendum 'No' vote Egypt opposition backs referendum 'No' vote
(35 minutes later)
Egypt's opposition National Salvation Front has called for a "No" vote in a referendum on a controversial draft constitution, but on strict conditions. Egypt's opposition National Salvation Front has urged supporters to vote "No" in Saturday's referendum on a controversial draft constitution.
The opposition is against the document, because it was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly, but has decided not to boycott the vote. However, it said it could still call a boycott if its demands for the ballot - including the judiciary acting as overseer - were not met.
It says the process should be overseen by the judiciary, although thousands of judges have refused to take part. The opposition says the draft document, backed by President Mohammed Morsi and his supporters, is too Islamist.
The controversy has prompted mass demonstrations across Egypt.The controversy has prompted mass demonstrations across Egypt.
For weeks, the country has been engulfed in political crisis, polarised between Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi who back the constitution and the more secular opposition. In a separate development, conciliation talks called for Wednesday by the head of the armed forces have been postponed, with no new date announced.
An already confused situation in Egypt has quickly become even more confusing. Key conditions
The opposition has finally decided to urge supporters to take part in the referendum on the new constitution and to vote No. The National Salvation Front on Wednesday spelled out its stance on the referendum, issuing a call to Egyptians to "go to polling stations to refuse the proposed constitution and to vote 'no'".
Leading opposition politician and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa told Reuters news agency: "We will vote 'no'."
An already confused situation in Egypt has quickly become even more confusing. The opposition has finally decided to urge supporters to take part in the referendum on the new constitution and to vote "No".
But it has imposed several conditions that could prove impossible for the government to meet.But it has imposed several conditions that could prove impossible for the government to meet.
The opposition also agreed to take part in reconciliation talks hosted by the army. But then, for some unknown reason, the army delayed the talks from Wednesday and did not fix a new date.The opposition also agreed to take part in reconciliation talks hosted by the army. But then, for some unknown reason, the army delayed the talks from Wednesday and did not fix a new date.
Even the date of the referendum is not clear, with some government sources reporting that it will be held over two days, others that it will just be on Saturday.Even the date of the referendum is not clear, with some government sources reporting that it will be held over two days, others that it will just be on Saturday.
With three days before domestic voting is due to take place in Egypt itself, the referendum process is still far from clear. But another leading opposition figure, Hamdeen Sabbahi, told a news conference the Front could still call for a boycott if key conditions were not met. They included:
Although voting has already begun in embassies and consulates abroad, it is still uncertain whether the domestic vote will be held over the next two weekends, or on 15 December alone.
  • judicial oversight of voting
    •
  • monitoring by local and international non-governmental organisations
    •
  • sufficient security presence
    •
  • detailed results announced once counting is complete
    •
  • voting on one day alone
    •
In a separate development, a call for unity talks from the head of the armed forces was postponed to a later date. Only moments beforehand, the opposition made it known that it was prepared to take part in the meeting. Correspondents say it is far from certain these conditions can be met, as thousands of judges have already refused to take part.
Leading opposition figure Hamdeen Sabbahi told a news conference on Wednesday that the National Salvation Front wanted Voting has already begun in embassies and consulates abroad, but there is still much confusion over the domestic vote, particularly whether it will be held over the next two weekends or on 15 December alone as demanded by the opposition.
  • judicial oversight of voting
    •
  • monitoring by local and international non-governmental organisations
    •
  • sufficient security presence
    •
  • detailed results announced once counting was complete
    •
  • and voting on one day alone
    •
Further confusion arose when the military said a national unity meeting aimed at calming the crisis had been delayed "because reactions to it were not at the level wished for".
Only moments before the postponement, the opposition had made it known that it was prepared to take part.
Defence Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi thanked those who had responded to the invitation but said the talks were being postponed to an unspecified later date.
As tensions surrounding the vote grew, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Cairo on Tuesday in rallies both for and against the proposed constitution.
The streets of Cairo were described as calm on Wednesday and army tanks remained deployed outside the presidential palace.
Last weekend, the president offered a concession to the opposition by annulling a 22 November decree that gave him sweeping new powers.
However, some rulings of the controversial decree - which stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions - still stand, and a number of opposition figures dismissed the concession as a political manoeuvre.