Egyptian president backtracks on ElBaradei appointment

The Egyptian presidency media advisor has denied the appointment of opposition leader Mohammad ElBaradei as new prime minister, hours after accredited journalists were summoned to the presidency to attend a joint press conference for interim President Adly Mansour and ElBaradei to announce the appointment. Invited journalists arrived at the press briefing room in the presidency at 18:00 p.m. as asked and waited for two hours. At first presidency protocol officials came and said Mansour would attend the press conference with ElBaradei to officially announce his appointment to form the new government and then leave and let ElBaradei answer reporters' questions. Half an hour later, presidential media adviser Ahmad Al-Meselamani showed up and denied ElBaradei had been appointed as prime minister and cancelled the press conference. Under pressure from the journalists, Al-Meselamani said the president's consultations on the new government were continuing. He said the government formation would be announced soon, without giving further details. The state-run Middle East News Agency and the state-run TV announced earlier Saturday that Mansour had asked ElBaradei to form the government.