Egypt's Military Agrees To Speed Up Handover

Egypt's military rulers have agreed to hand over power to a civilian government by July 2012 after four days of clashes between police and protesters demanding the army ends its hold over the political system.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces held talks with politicians from across the political spectrum after the entire military-appointed cabinet resigned expressing its "deep regret" over the violence, which has left at least 36 people dead.

"We agreed July as the month to transfer power to a civilian president," Emad Abdel Ghafour of the Nour party said.

Selim al-Awwa, a presidential candidate, told the state MENA news agency that it was also agreed that a government of "national salvation" would be appointed to rule while elections take place.

They appeared to signal their immediate rejection of the proposal, beginning a chant of "We are not leaving, he leaves," referring to the country''s de facto ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.

As the talks took place, tens of thousands of Egyptians defied police firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets in the capital's Tahrir Square after organisers called for a "million man march".

Tantawi was expected to address the nation on the situation, state television said.

The crisis has threatened to derail parliamentary elections scheduled to begin on November 28 - the first democratic step since President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February after a violent crackdown on protests against his decades-long rule.

However, the head of the Nour party Emad Abdel Ghafour, who also took part in the talks with the military, said that the vote would now begin on schedule.

Earlier in Tahrir Square, some protesters hanged an effigy of Tantawi from a lamp post, while others waved banners reading "Save Egypt from thieves and the military".

"Come to Tahrir, tomorrow we will overthrow the field marshal!" protesters chanted.

Under the army's original plans, parliament would name a constituent assembly to draw up a constitution within six months that would then go to a referendum.

Only after that would presidential elections be held, meaning a full transer of power from the military council would be unlikely to take place before the until late 2012 or even 2013.