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CAIRO – The presidential candidate for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood onTuesday sought to expand his support base ahead of a tight runoffagainst an ex-regime figure next month, vowing to ensure the fullrights of Christians and women if he is elected. Mohammed Morsi also tried to reassure the pro-democracy youthgroups who drove the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak'sregime 15 months ago, saying he will protect the right to stagepeaceful protests and sit-ins. Morsi claimed the top spot in the first round of Egypt's landmarkelection last week, putting him in the June 16-17 runoff voteagainst Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force commander and Mubarak'slast prime minister. Both candidates are highly polarizing figures, and are scramblingto broaden their base by appealing to groups that didn't supportthem in the first round. Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Cairo, Morsi said he planned toappoint Christians as presidential advisers and name one as vicepresident "if possible," and said he would not impose an Islamicdress code in public for women. "Our Christian brothers, they are partners in the nation. They willhave full rights that are equal to those enjoyed by Muslims," Morsisaid. "They will be represented as advisers in the presidentialinstitution, and maybe a vice president if possible." Women, he said, will have full rights in jobs and education. "Womenhave a right to freely choose the attire that suits them," he said. Morsi also vowed to create a broad coalition government, and saidthe country's new constitution would be written by a panel that istruly representative of the nation. The Brotherhood and other Islamists who control more than 70percent of parliament's seats packed the original constitutionalpanel with their own supporters in a bid to influence the charter.However, a court ruling disbanded it on the grounds that it did notobserve the rules of selection spelled out in a constitutionaldeclaration adopted last year. Morsi and Shafiq qualified for the runoff after they finished asthe top vote-getters in the first round of voting on May 23-24.Morsi won close to 5.8 million votes, or almost 25 percent, whileShafiq garnered 5.5 million votes, or nearly 24 percent, accordingto final official results announced on Monday. Morsi also pledged to lift the decades-old state of emergency,which gives police wide powers of arrest and detention. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Belt Filter Cloth , China Polyester Filter Fabric for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Polyester Filter Fabric.
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