Egypt Army vows to bring transition to democracy in Egypt

Rania

Cairo, Feb 12 (PTI) Egypt''s military leadership todayvowed to oversee a "peaceful transition" to democracy andpledged its commitment to all international treaties, a dayafter Hosni Mubarak bowed out as President in the wake of anunprecedented uprising against his 30-year rule.

In a statement here, the Supreme Council of the ArmedForces, which is now incharge of the administration in thepost-Mubarak Egypt, gave no timeline for the changeover.

The military also banned top officials from travellingoutside the country to ensure that former presidentialloyalists do not flee.

The Council said the present government would remainin place until a transition to an elected government isachieved.

In a televised statement entitled "Communique Number4," it said it would "pave the way for an elected civilauthority to build a free democratic state".

Mubarak, 82, fled from Cairo yesterday as tens ofthousands of protesters laid siege to his presidential palacedemanding an end to his rule.

In what comes as an assurance to Israel, the militaryalso vowed to respect the regional and international treatiesthat Egypt has committed to in the past.

"The Arab Republic of Egypt is committed to allregional and international obligations and treaties," themilitary communique said.

The statement is expected to allay the concerns inIsrael which is anxious that a change in leadership in Egyptcould hamper the 1979 Camp David accords.

Celebrations have refused to die down in anemotionally-charged Egypt where thousands of people have beenrejoicing since last night when Vice President Omar Suleimanappeared on television to announce that Mubarak had finallystepped down.

Thousands of people still remain in Cairo''s TahrirSquare, the centre of the 18-day uprising in Egypt.

The army, which has come in for praise for itshandling of the protesters, today removed barricades andbarbed wire at the now iconic Tahrir Square.

Men, women and children, lauded the world over fortheir near violence-free revolution, joined in to clean thestreets, collecting rubbish as tanks still lurked on the sidesof main roads.

Earlier, the military imposed a ban on officials fromtravelling outside the country.

The ban comes into force immediately, an officialannouncement from the new regime said as the Egyptian capitallimped back to normalcy after 18-days of turmoil.

An official statement said that officials could onlytravel with permission from State Prosecutor or the armedforces. .