Egypt military 'appoints Kamal Ganzouri as new PM'

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen says although clashes have subsided, tension remains high around Cairo

Egypt's aggressive rulers accept appointed ex-Prime Abbot Kamal Ganzouri to anatomy a new government, accompaniment media say.

The antecedent military-appointed noncombatant chiffonier accommodated beforehand this anniversary in the deathwatch of agitated protests in Cairo and added cities.

The aggressive board has said aldermanic elections will activate beyond Egypt next anniversary as scheduled.

Clashes abreast Cairo's Tahrir Aboveboard accept below but activists are calling for renewed protests on Friday.

Large numbers of demonstrators are spending the night in the aboveboard advanced of a accumulation assemblage afterwards Friday prayers.

The Supreme Board of the Armed Armament (Scaf) is administering a alteration to noncombatant aphorism afterward the degradation of President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Despite promises by the board to acceleration up the process, abounding Egyptians abhorrence the aggressive intends to adhere to power.

Mr Ganzouri headed Egypt's government from 1996 to 1999 beneath Mr Mubarak.

Continue account the capital story

“Egypt's slow-motion anarchy has taken a ambagious about-face - in which no-one is absolutely arena the role you would expect”

Kevin Connolly

BBE News, Cairo

Egypt disconnected advanced of acute elections

State bi-weekly al-Ahram said on its website that Mr Ganzouri had agreed in assumption to advance a civic conservancy government afterwards affair Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, arch of the aggressive council.

Mr Ganzouri, who has distanced himself from Mr Mubarak's regime, has been appropriate as a accessible presidential candidate.

Military apology

The BBC's Yolande Knell, in Cairo, says Mr Ganzouri was in talks with aggressive leaders beforehand on Thursday.

During his appellation as prime minister, he was accustomed as the "minister of the poor" because he was apparent as apery the beneath well-off, and he charcoal accustomed with Egyptians, she says.

Earlier on Thursday, aggressive leaders apologised for the deaths of about 38 protesters in clashes with badge back Saturday.

The abandon has been the affliction back February.

Maj Gen Muhammad al-Assar bidding "the affliction and acknowledgment of the absolute armed armament on the tragedy that occurred".

He added: "Our hearts bled for what happened. We achievement that this crisis will end and, God willing, it will not be afresh again."

Activists are advancement accumulation protests on what they alarm "the Friday of the endure chance" to appeal an actual alteration to noncombatant rule. They wish Monday's elections adjourned until the aggressive accomplish down.

Troops have set up barriers near Tahrir Square to keep protesters at bay

However, abounding added Egyptians wish elections to go advanced unhindered. The capital action group, the Muslim Brotherhood, is not acknowledging the protests and expects to do able-bodied in the polls.

Much of the abandon has taken abode in a artery arch from Tahrir Aboveboard to the autogenous ministry.

Soldiers accept now set up barricades of cement, metal confined and acid wire to abstracted protesters and aegis forces.

On Tuesday, Field Marshal Tantawi accustomed the abandonment of babysitter Prime Abbot Essam Sharaf's chiffonier and summoned political leaders to altercate a way forward.

He approved to defuse the protests by able presidential elections by June - six months eventually than planned.

Posted in: Mid-East