Egypt's PM vows to form interim cabinet by Wednesday

Egypt's new interim Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi Cairo – Akram Ali Egypt's new prime minister has vowed to form the interim cabinet by Wednesday. Hazem al-Beblawi held talks with candidates for ministerial posts accompanied by vice president Mohamed ElBaradei and centre-left lawyer Ziad Bahaa el-Din, who is in the running for the post of deputy prime minister for economic affairs, the official MENA news agency reported.
The consultations will continue on Sunday.
The new cabinet's top priorities will be to restore security, ensure the flow of goods and services and prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections, said Beblawi.
The premier is working according to a roadmap drafted by the military which overthrew Morsi on July 3 after millions took to the streets calling on him to step down.
Meanwhile, Egypt's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Kamel Amr, has turned down the opportunity to resume his role in the new cabinet.
Amr said that the new phase required a new leadership for the ministry of foreign affairs, adding that he would continue to serve in his position until a new minister is appointed.
Amr had tendered his resignation to deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in solidarity with the demands of the Egyptian people, who staged protests across the country against Morsi on June 30.
Within the same context, Deputy Finance Minister Hany Kadry, who oversaw talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a stalled rescue package last year, will be asked to serve as Egypt's interim finance minister, according to government sources.
Beblawi is also expected to offer the foreign minister job to former ambassador to the United States Nabil Fahmy, sources said.
The candidates have not yet accepted the posts and the decisions are yet to be finalised.
Former interior minister Ahmed Gamal el-Din would be offered the post of deputy prime minister responsible for security, and former planning minister Ashraf al-Araby would be offered a return to the post he left in May.