• EGYPT
  • March 30, 2012
  • 5 minutes read

Azhar Document and the Democratic Alliance Code of Honor Bases for Constitution Articles

Azhar Document and the Democratic Alliance Code of Honor Bases for Constitution Articles

 The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)’s meeting, Thursday, with heads of Egypt’s political parties, demanded that the Constituent Assembly should discuss and find ways to achieve effective representation for all political parties, forces, civil society organizations and public figures.





It should ensure the participation of an appropriate number of them, using the list of ‘reserve’ members elected for the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the constitution, in order to attain balance in the Assembly’s membership composition.
 


The meeting confirmed what had already been agreed by the parties and political and popular parties, forces and stakeholders regarding the general principles for drafting the constitution, based on Azhar Document and Democratic Alliance Code of Honor as a reference for the constitution’s articles.
 


This should lay the foundations for a national, constitutional, democratic, modern state, based on citizenship and the rule of law. Moreover, it should safeguard the freedom of thought and freedom of belief, criminalize discrimination between Egyptians on the basis of religion, race or sex, ensure the freedom of religious practice, and support national unity.
 


Further, the meeting called for forming specialized committees that would be responsible for assisting the Constituent Assembly and providing all national, technical expertise in the preparation, writing and reviewing of constitutional texts, so as to achieve balance and to safeguard and advance national interests in all constitutional provisions and articles.


 
Attendees disagreed on the final statement, as it was approved and accepted by the parties: Freedom and Justice, Nour, Wafd, Wassat, Freedom, Ghadd Al-Thawra, Al-Geel, Asala, Modern Egypt, Reform and Development, Egypt Arab Socialist, Egyptian Arab Union, and Hadara.
 


The meeting’s final statement was also accepted and approved by independent MPs Mustafa Bakri and Marianne Malak, while the parties that did not accept it were: Free Egyptians, Tajammu’a, Adl, Karama, and Democratic Peace.
 


Earlier, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of SCAF, and Lt Gen Sami Anan Chief of Staff, had called for a meeting on Thursday, at the Defense Ministry, with representatives of 19 political parties.


 
The meeting was convened as planned, on Thursday, led by Dr. Mohamed Morsi, Chairman of the Freedom and Justice party, with Dr. Imad Abdul Ghafoor, President of the Nour party; Dr. Safwat Abdel-Ghani, leader of the Construction and Development party, Abul-Ela Madi, President of the Wassat party; Dr. Sayyid Al-Badawi, Wafd party leader, Dr. Ayman Nour, chairman of the Ghadd Al-Thawar party; MP Mustafa Bakri and MP Marianne Malak, in addition to a number of SCAF members.