Pope Benedict XVI appealed for calm and a return to peaceful coexistence in Egypt
on Sunday. “I have been following the delicate situation in the dear Egyptian nation
with attention in these days,” said Pope Benedict, adding, “I ask God that that Land,
blessed by the presence of the Holy Family, once again find tranquillity and peaceful
coexistence, in shared commitment to the common good.”
The Holy Father’s appeal
came as news began to break of major concessions from the government to opposition
groups.
Egypt's vice president met a wide representation of major opposition
groups for the first time Sunday and agreed to allow freedom of the press, to release
those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks and ago and to
lift the country's hated emergency laws when security permits.
Vice President
Omar Suleiman endorsed a plan with the opposition to set up a committee of judiciary
and political figures to study proposed constitutional amendments that would allow
more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency.
The
committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks.
The
regime also pledged not to harass those participating in the anti-government protests,
which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies.
The government
also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging
and Internet.
There were several reports during the past week of Mubarak supporters
harassing journalists in Cairo, including Natalie Carney, who told how a group of
young men stormed the office building she and her colleagues were using.
Sunday's
meeting was the broadest representation of Egypt's fragmented opposition to meet with
the new vice president since the protests demanding the immediate ouster of longtime
President Hosni Mubarak began on Jan. 25.
The opposition groups represented
included the youthful supporters of leading democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei,
who are one of the main forces behind the protests.
The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood,
Egypt's largest opposition group also attended the meeting.
The two sides also
agreed at the meeting that the government would open an office to field complaints
about political prisoners.
The government also pledged to commission judicial
authorities to fight corruption and prosecute those behind it.
In addition,
the government agreed to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the as-yet
unexplained disappearance of police from Cairo's streets more than a week ago, which
unleashed a wave of lawless looting and arson.
is A Sunni Muslim and the secretary
general of Lebanon's Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue, Mohammed Sammak hopes
that the political developments will open doors for better relations between Christians
and Muslims in the future throughout the entire Mideast region. “It’s not between
Christians and Muslims,” he said, “Christians and Muslims are on the same side.”