BBC Monitoring

Text of unattributed report headlined "Severe disagreements over the formation of the committee of Journalists Syndicate's office", published by Egyptian opposition Wafd Party daily newspaper Al-Wafd on 22 November

Consultations over the formation of the of the committee of Journalists Syndicate's office have witnessed a severe crisis due to the insistence of Makram Muhamamd Ahmad, [newly-elected pro-government chairman of the syndicate], to eliminate Yihya Kalash, the secretary-general of the previous round, from any posts at the committee.

Consultations have reached an agreement upon appointing Abd-al-Muhsin Salamah and Salah Abd-al-Maksud, as vice -presidents, while Hatim Zakariyah was assigned with the general secretariat, and Muhammad Kharaja as treasurer.

However, these consultations are still going on to settle this disagreement [over Kalash]. The syndicate's council is scheduled to hold a meeting next Sunday [25 Nov], according to the regulations.

It is worth mentioning that seven members of the current syndicate's council are inclined to support Makram in his decision to eliminate Kalash from any position at the office's committee.

Source: Al-Wafd, Cairo, in Arabic 22 Nov 07