Amr Moussa, chairman of the Committee of 50, held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday afternoon in his office at the Shura Council.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Defense Minister Mohamed al-Assar, First Assistant Interior Minister Abdel Fattah Osman, Sakina Fouad (presidential advisor for women's affairs), Gaber Gad Nassar (committee rapporteur), Mostafa Abdel Gelil (chairman of the Drafting Committee), and five representatives of the student unions of Cairo, Helwan, Mansoura and Al-Azhar universities.
The participants in the meeting declined to talk to reporters or disclose the reason for the sudden meeting.
After the meeting, Abdel Gelil met alone with the students, while Nassar left from a back door.
Sakina Fouad simply said that there is good news to be announced soon. “We met to prevent discord within the supporters of 30 June,” she added.
Even the Shura Council management was not notified of the meeting.
In a related development, Moussa expected a high turnout for the referendum. “I expect the Constitution to be approved by at least 70 percent,” he said.
He told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the Constitution meets the requirements of the 21st century. “It is very clear in terms of freedoms and democracy,” he said.
On the recent protest law, he said it should have been reviewed before being issued. “But we have to agree that the violent protests that took place are not the right way to express views,” he said.
On the materials relating to the armed forces, Moussa said the army is being attacked and should be defended.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
