Mabruk Egypt!

So far, so good.  This has been Egypt’s proud day! Huge crowds, peaceful, clear messages. 

Have a look, courtesy of the Russians, who don’t resist the anti-American spin (but of course I agree that this revolution should be made in Egypt):

Now the hard part begins, for both Egyptians and Americans:

• Brian Katulis focuses on U.S. diplomatic strategy to continue to press the case for early and quick transition.

• Rob Satloff outlines what an ideal transition to democracy would look like from the U.S. perspective (http://washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3297)–sorry for that, I can’t make their links work!
• Larry Diamond emphasizes the difficulties of the transition.
• Tarek Masoud proposes ways of getting past those difficulties.
• Marina Ottaway offers two translated statements from Egyptian pro-democracy advocates involved in negotiations with the authorities.  This was published in the Egyptian newspaper Ash-Shorouk February 3 and merits quotation in full, with the names of the signatories:

Full text of statement (translated from Arabic by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

The current regime, represented by the president of the republic, has agreed to a limited number of the popular demands that have been clearly expressed. The people who have come out in the millions in Cairo and all Egyptian cities still insist on the following legitimate demands:

1. The President must delegate to his Vice President the responsibilities of managing the transitional period that began yesterday and will be completed by the end of the president’s current term.
2. The Vice President must agree to the following: dissolve the Shura Council and People’s Assembly and form a legislative committee consisting of constitutional experts and independent judges who will prepare for the necessary constitutional amendments.
3. Form a government of experts and independent figures that are accepted by the public to administer executive operations during this transitional period.
4. End the rule by Emergency Law and create specific mechanisms to hold accountable those responsible for attacks on the people as well as public and private property and for unprecedented intimidation of the public. Those in the various state institutions who contributed to exposing the nation and the public to the effects of this absence of security must also be held responsible.
5. Ensure the safety of the youth that have congregated in Tahrir Square and other streets in Cairo and various Egyptian cities during this transitional period, and protect them from prosecution, persecution and violation of their rights. Their rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and their legitimate means of expression, must be protected. We note our full solidarity with the youth and call on all signatories of this statement to protect the protesters and their personal safety.
6. We assert on record our appreciation and praise of the responsible, patriotic role of the military.

The signatories released a second statement stating:

The group, which addressed its message to the President, his deputy and the military proposed a way out of the grave crisis that has plagued the country and its citizens. The group reiterates its call for the military to ensure the security and safety of the Egyptian youth that is protesting peacefully in Tahrir Square and other streets in Egyptian cities, and to protect them from the risk of prosecution, persecution, and violation of their rights. The violence occurring on Egyptian streets will only contribute to more political tensions and create obstacles to mitigating the current crisis. We are hoping once again that the Egyptian military will help the nation and the people to emerge from this crisis and save the lives of the Egyptian youth.

Signatories:
Ahmed Kamal Aboul Magd
Naguib Sawiris
Nabil al-Arabi
Salama Ahmed Salama
Ibrahim El Moallem
Waheed Abd El-Majeed
Abdel Aziz El-Shafei
Amr Hamzawy
Amr El Shobaki
Gamil Matar
Safwat Thabet
Ambassador Nabil Fahmy
Former Minister Mervat el-Talawi
Ali Mosharrafa
Adel el-Moalem
Yahya al-Jamal
Anis Aclimandos
Amin Mahdy
Ahmed Fouad
Justice Sami Mahmoud Zein el-Din
Amani Al Khayat
Nasser Amin
Fathi al-Shawadfi