Egypt's SCAF refutes making 'political deals'

Egypt's former ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), issued an official statement, Monday evening, one day after the parliament's Lower House was reinstated via presidential decree, in which the military generals said they expect  “all authorities of the state to respect the constitutional charters issued by SCAF during the transitional period.” SCAF issued a statement stressing the need to respect the rule of law, the constitution and governmental institutions to maintain the integrity of the Egyptian state and show respect to the Egyptian people. "The annex constitutional charter issued by the SCAF on June 17 was necessary in order to address the political state of the nation, and was meant to define the specific responsibilities of the newly-elected president and the SCAF until a new constitution is drafted and approved," the statement continued. The military  denied rumours that it has "struck deals" with various political parties, calling the allegations "dangerous for the country." "The Armed Forces are owned by the people and will remain faithful to its pledges to conform to the constitution, the law and the wishes of the people,” said the SCAF statement. President Mohammed Morsi issued a decree on Sunday announcing that the People's Assembly resume sessions. The assembly was disbanded after the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the law governing the parliamentary elections was unconstitutional for allowing political parties to field candidates for seats that were reserved for independents. Following the High Constitutional Court's verdict,  the SCAF ordered the dissolution of the People's Assembly, thus effectively transferring legislative power to itself. Morsi’s decree would hand legislative power back to Parliament. The state-run news service MENA said on Sunday that the SCAF held an emergency meeting to discuss Morsi’s decree, but the military council did not address this meeting in their statement.