India Congratulates Egypt's President-Elect


New Delhi: India Monday congratulated Egypt's president-elect Mohamed Morsi, who won an historic election Sunday, defeating his rival Ahmed Shafiq, a former premier and a senior leader of Hosni Mubarak era, by around one million votes.

"Egypt has successfully conducted its presidential elections. We respect and welcome the verdict of the people of Egypt and extend our congratulations to them and president-elect Dr. Mohamed Morsi," India's ministry of external affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said in response to a query.

"We wish the new president all success and reiterate our readiness for enhancing bilateral co-operation," he added.

Morsi, chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, received about 52 percent votes in the run-off round while his opponent Shafiq got about 48 percent.

The new president will assume office without a new constitution and parliament.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which took over the reins of power in Egypt after the February 2011 uprising and Mubarak's ouster, reportedly will issue a supplementary constitutional declaration to make arrangements for the coming period.

The SCAF has affirmed that it will hand over power to the new president before June-end.

Source: IANS