Samar Yahya

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Egyptian professionals in the western and southern regions of the Kingdom met in Jeddah on Saturday to discuss their country's new constitution.



Dr. Said Yahya, president of an Egyptian community group, several attorneys and law professors addressed the seminar held on the consulate premises.



Participants had an opportunity to debate and exchange their views on the constitution, which the Cairo government will put to a referendum on Jan. 14-15.



Yahya said, “The holding of the seminar was appreciated by the participants who benefited from information divulged during the discussions. This was apparent from the long debate that lasted for about three hours, where the participants shared their views reflecting Egyptian expatriates' concerns about the current developments back home.”



Dr. Mohammad Khairi El-Wakeel, professor of constitutional law, presented a number of articles from the constitution and gave legal explanations.



Dr. Mohammed El-Banna, professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), discussed the economic side of the constitution, highlighting both positive and negative aspects.



On the other hand, a small group of Egyptians came to the consulate shouting slogans against the new constitution. Consulate officials dealt with the situation and convinced the protesters to disperse voluntarily.



Witnesses said three or four families with children came to the consulate to express their solidarity with the Muslim Brotherhood, but they left prior to starting the seminar.