Egypt's Mohamed Morsi: I have made mistakes

President pledges radical reforms to state institutions, but also denounces 'enemies of Egypt' for sabotaging democratic system

The Guardian, Patrick Kingsley in Cairo, Wednesday 26 June 2013

Link to video: John Kerry urges peace in Egypt amid anti-government protests

The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, used a televised address on Wednesday to admit to making mistakes in his first year in office. But the president also widened the divide between his Islamist supporters and Egypt's secular opposition during his speech, blaming unspecified "enemies of Egypt" for sabotaging the democratic system and warning that the polarised state of the country's politics threatened to plunge it into chaos.

Morsi pledged to introduce "radical and quick" reforms in state institutions, admitting some of his goals had not been achieved.

"Today, I present an audit of my first year, with full transparency, along with a roadmap. Some things were achieved and others not," he said. "I have made mistakes on a number of issues."

Yet in a meandering speech that lasted more than two and a half hours, Morsi refused to offer serious concessions to the opposition – and pointedly praised the army, whom many opposition members hope will facilitate a transition of power in the coming weeks.

On a night when many hoped he would strike a conciliatory tone, Morsi instead criticised opposition politicians for failing to engage in what he perceives to be constructive dialogue.

He spoke before a planned mass demonstration this weekend by his opponents who are demanding that the president resigns and calls an early election.

Almost a year on from Morsi's election to power, Egypt is dangerously divided between his Islamist supporters and a secular opposition that sees his rule as incompetent and autocratic.

Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi: 'Polarisation and conflict has reached a
stage that threatens our nascent democratic experience.' Photograph: EPA

Activists claim 15 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling for his departure, and expect a significant proportion of that number to turn out on Sunday to force him from office.

Morsi was speaking at a conference hall filled by cabinet ministers and senior officials of his Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice party, along with several hundred supporters.

Thousands gathered to watch his speech on screens in Tahrir Square, the cradle of the 2011 uprising – and most reacted furiously for the duration of the address, many holding shoes as a sign of disrespect.

"It's really shameful that the president of Egypt, after a whole year in office, walks on stage and starts accusing the whole country of treason," argued Mohamed Zakaria, a tailor who watched the speech in Tahrir Square.

"We were hoping for major concessions but he's given us nothing."

But the speech may have helped to win over people undecided about joining Sunday's protests.

Morsi often used the language of the street, at times sounding humble and pious.

"He spoke in a way that many Egyptians could relate to," said Yasser el-Shimy, Egypt analyst for the Crisis Group.

"It was a very colloquial speech in which he sounded almost countrified. But it will have done little to convince his non-Islamist opponents."

But while Morsi was at pains to win over the military, el-Shimy said the army – who deployed tanks on the streets of Cairo on Wednesday, and whose intentions are currently the subject of intense debate in Egypt – was unlikely to give him their support based merely on the contents of the speech.

"The army makes strategic decisions based on what they perceive to be the national interest," el-Shimy said.

Related Articles:

Obama expresses concern at Egypt violence

Egyptian army 'ready to intervene to stop conflict'

Egyptian police brutality continues under Morsi

"TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE" - The Last 18 years – Dec 8, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll)

(Subjects: Who is Kryon, God, Love, Great Central Sun, (Old) Soul, Benevolent Design, 1987 - Harmonic Convergence (11:11), 36 years galactic window (Precession), 26.000 years cycle, Mayan Calendar, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, “TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE”  song – Composer, Human Consciousness, Conceptional Thinking, Old and New energy, Middle East, Protest against the new leader in Egypt because he is of an old energy, Syria is a Nightmare, Libya, People of Iran, Israel, Higher Self, You did it !, Change of Paradigm, 2012,  US/Russia, Global Unity, ... etc.)