Egypt crisis shows little signs of ending even after talks

Opposition activist Mohammad ElBaradei, who was not invited at the meeting yesterday too slammed the negotiations, saying they were "opaque", and "nobody knows who is talking to whom at this stage".

The reforms committee has basically been tasked to suggest amendments in the constituion to put a term limit on the number of tenures of a president and on defining who can contest for the presidency.

But, Vice President Omar Suleiman did not agree to an opposition proposal that the President''s powers be transferred to him in line with a constitutional provision.

Obama played down the prospect of Muslim Brotherhood emerging as the main force in Egypt in a post-Mubarak era, and said the group is only one faction in a country which has a large number of secular groups as well.

"What Egypt needs is a peaceful and orderly transition," he said.

The developments came even as tens of thousands of Egyptians observed a ''Day of Martyrs'' yesterday in remembrance of their countrymen killed in the uprising. While the regime has said that Mubarak, as president till September, would preside over a peaceful transition to a more representative government, the protesters have insisted that Mubarak should go now. Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq meanwhile told CNN that Mubarak has no immediate plans to quit his position and that he intends to stay on till the end of his term in September.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton too said that Mubarak might not be able to relinquish office as early as demanded by the protesters as the transition would take time.

The talks followed a major shake-up in the ruling National Democratic Party, with resignations of most of its leaders including the president''s son Gamal Mubarak.