Egypt diplomat defends Morsi’s government

A leading Egyptian official has spoken out to defend the country’s controversial government, led by President Mohammed Morsi. Yasser Ali, a spokesperson for the presidency, described the current government as “fair”, adding that it performs its role “honestly”, despite facing repeated protests from the public and opposition parties. Ali has also denied claims that President Morsi is planning to change the current regime, in light of a recent initiative submitted by the Salafist Nour Party. He said that although the initiative is under review, there are no plans for reform, adding that any changes would not necessarily ensure the integrity of any upcoming elections. Ali has also urged Egypt’s political parties to publicly denounce violence, after it emerged that nine people were injured last week when demonstrators clashed with security forces, following attempts to storm the presidential palace.