CAIRO, May 3: Egypt’s military rulers vowed on Thursday that this month’s presidential election will be fair and moved to assure the public it will hand over power on schedule, a day after a deadly attack on an anti-military protest.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power when president Hosni Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising last year, also warned against any threat to the defence ministry, as protesters called for mass rallies on Friday.

“We are committed to fair elections 100 per cent. We don’t have any candidates. All the candidates are respectable Egyptians,” said Major General Mohammed al-Assar of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Assar said that the electoral commission “sent a letter to the foreign ministry requesting that it invites 45 foreign observers to monitor the presidential election”.

“The commission also sent messages to all the embassies inviting them to send a delegate to monitor the election and issued permits to three foreign organisations as well,” he added.

Assar was speaking at a news conference as calm returned to Cairo’s streets following clashes that killed 20 people outside the defence ministry on Wednesday, according to medics.

“We want to stress the commitment of the armed forces... of not using violence against the people. The armed forces belong to the people,” said Assar, who put Wednesday’s toll at nine dead and said more than 160 were injured.

The general, an aide to the defence minister, said the security forces had intervened “positively” to stop the bloodshed and to ensure stability, more than a year after a popular uprising toppled Mubarak.

“Egypt is in danger... Everyone must realise this danger,” said Assar.

“I propose an initiative to all political parties and religious leaders to go to Abbassiya and try to persuade the youths to leave Abbassiya,” he said referring to the Cairo district in which Wednesday’s clashes occurred.

“Go to Tahrir Square... to stay away from the defence ministry because we dont want to use any violence against our youths,” he added.

In stronger terms, the military warned protesters to stay away from the defence ministry, following calls for a mass protest on Friday to denounce Wednesday’s deadly clashes.—AFP