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Egypt: Suleiman refused a call to assume powers of Mubarak
[Ennahar] The Egyptian Vice-President Omar Suleiman on Sunday rejected a call from the opposition to assume the powers of geriatric President Hosni Mubarak, strongly disputed for nearly two weeks, said an opponent who participated in the dialogue between the government and the opposition.

"We asked that the President delegated his powers to Vice President in accordance with the powers given to him by section 139 (the Constitution) but he refused," told AFP a head of an opposition party who spoke under condition of anonymity.

The authority has launched a "national dialogue" with the opposition including the Mohammedan Brotherhood, the main opposition force in Egypt and "bete noire" of the regime so far.

After the start of popular protest on January 25, Mr. Suleiman, former head of intelligence services, was named vice president, a position abolished by Hosni Mubarak upon his arrival to power in 1981.
Posted by: Fred 2011-02-07
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=315528