Egypt Interim Leader Offers Brotherhood Cabinet Position

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Officials have said that the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamist Nour Party will be offered ministerial positions in the transitional government, hours after the appointment of a new prime minister.

Presidential spokesman Ahmed al-Muslimani said Hazel el-Beblawi, a liberal economist and former finance minister, was named the new prime minister. Muslimani also said that Liberal opposition chief and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei was named vice president for foreign relations.

After their appointments, the officials announced that the ministerial posts in the new government would be offered to members of the Freedom and Justice Party – the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm – and the Islamist Nour Party.

"There is no objection at all to including members of those two parties in the government," Muslimani said as quoted by the state media.

The transitional government was established almost one week after President Mohamad Mursi was overthrown. Former Chief Justice Adly Mansour was appointed as temporary president. On the other hand, the Muslim Brotherhood rejected to recognize the temporary president. They also ignore all decisions made by the president.

Beblawi, 76 year-old, now has a big responsibility of reuniting the deeply divided country and rescue its weak economy. Beblawi studied in Cairo and Paris, where he obtained a doctorate in economics. He worked in public and private institutions, both in Egypt and abroad. He also held the position as head of Egypt's Export Development Bank between 1983 and 1995.

AL JAZAEERA | YR