Shura Council chief meets UK ambassador in Cairo

Ahmed Fahmi, the speaker of the Egyptian Shura Council (the upper house of parliament), received on Thursday UK Ambassador in Cairo James Watt for talks on the latest developments regarding the draft laws on NGOs, protests and parliamentary elections, that are currently under discussion by the Shura Council. The approval in principle of the NGOs and protest draft laws is not a final step, for the texts are still going to be revised before being finally okayed, Fahmi said. The council legislative and constitutional affairs committee is about to finalize the parliamentary elections draft law., he said. When its job ends, the bill will be brought up for debate at a general session of the council, he also said. It will then be sent to the Supreme Constitutional Court to be considered and, once it is sanctioned, there will be a presidential decree to hold the elections, he added. The council speaker voiced hope that the current political crisis will be overcome and political stability will be achieved. President Mohamed Morsi had said in statements on Tuesday that he expects that parliamentary elections would be held in October and that the House of Representatives would be in session before the year's end. Fahmi underlined the importance of social dialogue and taking the advice of legal experts to reach the optimal formula for the bills.