Egypt, in first national address Mansour Adly reaffirms goal of ‘stability and security'
The interim president outlines new governments’ objectives and condemns agitators. "We will defend the country from those who want chaos and violence." Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood, who refuse to take part in the transition, invite the army to backtrack.

Cairo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - In his first public speech, the interim president of Egypt Adly Mansour has highlighted security and stability as the principal objectives of the new interim leadership. "We will fight this battle to the end - he said in a recorded message broadcast on state television - we will safeguard the revolution."

On Thursday, July 18, exactly two weeks after the ouster of Mohammed Morsi, Mansour Adly (former head of the Constitutional Court) condemned "those who want to drag Egypt into chaos and uncertainty," His message referred to the continuous protests organized by the Brotherhood. "We are ushering in a critical stage for the fate of the country - he continued - some want a path of blood and violence, we intend to reaffirm human rights and justice."

The new interim government, formed with the task of leading the country to elections by the beginning of 2014, enjoys broad support among the Egyptians, including some of the most representative figures from both the Christian and Muslim elite. Both the Islamists and Salafists, the Muslim Brotherhood who have decided not to take part in the transitional government have received a loan of 12 billion dollars - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait - in order to avoid the risk of bankruptcy.

Mansour's first address to the nation comes immediately after yet another march organized by the Brotherhood in Cairo yesterday to demand the return to the government of Mohammed Morsi. The march scheduled for today, Friday, July 19, coincides with the tenth day of Ramadan: by tradition, on this day Egyptians commemorate the crossing of the Suez Canal by the army in 1973 during the war against Israel. "We urge the leaders of the coup to return to the right path - said Mohammed Badie, supreme guide of the Brotherhood - the army and the people are one, the task of the military is to defend the nation."