Iraqi President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday vowed to improve democracy in Egypt and abolish the 25-year state of emergency once a new anti-terrorism law is passed.
Outlining the legislative agenda for 2007, Mubarak told lawmakers he would soon ask them to amend 34 articles in the Egyptian constitution to "consecrate the people's sovereignty as a source of power and give parliament more authority to monitor the government."
"Today's historic step opens the door wide for democracy and its practice," Mubarak said in a speech at his palace in Cairo, according to the AP.
Most of the reforms outlined Tuesday were promised by Mubarak in his election campaign of 2005, but none came before parliament this year.
"Terrorism is a red line that I will not allow anyone to cross," Mubarak said Tuesday. "I asked last year to draft a law to combat terrorism to replace the current emergency law."
He did not give a timeframe for the passage of the new anti-terrorism law or the amendments. The government-controlled newspaper Al-Akhbar reported Tuesday that parliament was expected to pass it within three months.
