CairoField Marshal Hussein Tantawi kept his portfolio yesterday as Egyptian defence minister in a Muslim Brotherhood-led government sworn in by President Mohamed Morsi, confirming the military's role at the epicentre of power.
Field Marshal Tantawi’s inclusion in prime minister Hisham Kandil’s cabinet was widely expected.
However it has underlined the emerging balance of power between a civilian president from a once-banned Islamist group and the generals who removed Hosni Mubarak from power.
“Do we start from zero? For sure, no,” Mr Kandil said during a news conference. “There has been serious and dedicated work in the past period by previous governments that we must build on.” – (Reuters)