Mansour: No return to military rule in Egypt

Egyptian Interim President Adly Mansour expressed surprise about media reports alleging that Egypt is back to military rule after the ousting of former president Mohammad Morsi, the first civilian president to Egypt in decades."The president expresses his surprise at what he hears and reads in this regard," Presidency spokesman Ihab Badawi said in press briefing after president Mansour meeting with a visiting British delegation including MPs.Badawi pointed out that Mansour explained to the British guests that "the country now is being run by a civil government headed by an international economic figure." Mansour also noted that the expected nomination of Defense Minister Abdulfattah Al-Sisi to the high post does not mean that the country will return back to generals' rule.He stated that if Al-Sisi decided to run, it would be after he quit his military post."History celebrated figures that have moved from their military path topractice politics, including former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill," Badawi said quoting Egyptian President.Egypt has been ruled by former military leaders since the 1952 Revolution that overthrew monarchy and until the 2011 uprising. Morsi was the country's first freely elected civilian president.President Mansour has also expressed optimism about Egypt's political and economic future after the implementation of the army-backed political roadmap which has already seen the adoption of new constitution. For its part, the British delegation wished Egypt's full success in executing the roadmap.