英语文摘:Egypt's new interim gov't to form within week: PM

CAIRO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's newly-appointed interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab said Tuesday that he hopes his government is established within the coming three or four days.

"The future of some of sovereign ministries in terms of reshuffling, including the defense ministry, is determined by the president himself," Mahlab told a news conference at the cabinet headquarters in Cairo.

He said that maintaining security will be one of the priorities of his government that will work on "crushing terrorism."

"This government will be a servant for the people and it will work on providing a state of security and transparency for the upcoming presidential elections," Mahlab added.

Mahlab, the ex-housing minister of the outgoing cabinet, was appointed Tuesday to replace his predecessor Hazem al-Beblawi who took office following the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by the military last July.

Beblawi's government resigned Monday amid growing public dissatisfaction and a wave of strikes held by public transport workers, textile workers, garbage collectors and health staff.

The turmoil-stricken country is waiting for the establishment of the presidential election law and many Egyptians are urging military chief and ex-defense minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to run for president.