Obama and Nawara Call For Transition, True Recognition of Protest Movement

On Friday, President Barack Obama condemned attacks on journalists and called on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to lead an effective transition based on substantive negotiations with the opposition and reform. Wael Nawara, an Egyptian activist and founder of the opposition party Al-Ghad, also called for a transition period to begin immediately and for opposition groups to sustain the movement with minimal damage to the Egyptian people. Thus far, Nawara states, Vice President Omar Suleiman “is meeting with opposition parties which are loyal to the regime. So, it’s like being not a dialogue. This is kind of a monologue, because he is kind of speaking to himself. He really now needs to recognize that protest — the protest movement, which [represents] many groups.”