Egypt's time for change is now: Obama

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Egypt is ready for political change and will not go back to what it was before historic pro-democracy rallies swept the country, U.S. President Barack Obama said Sunday night.

Speaking to Fox News, the president said the U.S. could not "forcefully dictate" whether Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should step down after 30 years of authoritarian rule, but could only encourage the leader to relinquish his post.

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Reporter Nahlah Ayed:

"Life is closer to normal today than at any point in the past 12 days."

Reporter David Common:

"Thousands upon thousands of people continue to stream into that square day and night. They continue to lie down in front of the Egyptian army tanks, trying to preventmilitary vehicles from moving into the square and trying to clear the crowd."

"What we can do is say the time is now for you to start making a change in your country,"Obama said. "Mubarak has already decided he's not going to run again."

The president alsoplayed down expectations thatEgypt'smost organizedopposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, would take a major role in a new government, reasoning they are only "one faction in Egypt" and did nothave majority support in the North African nation.

Obama'sremarks cameafter Egypt's Vice-President Omar Suleiman convened talks there with opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

TheBrotherhood said Sunday'snegotiations with therecently appointed vice-presidentwere well-intentioned, but did not go far enough.

Suleiman agreed to press freedoms and to lift the country's longtime emergency laws once security is stabilized. As well,demonstrators arrested since the start of the protestswill be released.

A group including opposition organizations willstudy constitutional amendments that would pave the way for political reform.

Abdel Monem Aboul Fotouh, a senior member of the Brotherhood, told Al Arabiya networkthe government statement represented "good intentions but does not include any solid changes."

Suleiman's meeting with opposition organizations occurred as demonstrationsagainst Mubarak's regime continued for a 13th day.

Articles in constitution need immediate change

Fotouh said certain articles in the constitution needed to be changed immediately, specifically one covering presidential elections, which put Mubarak's ruling party in a position to choose the next president.Anotheramendment wouldrestrict thepresidentfrom running for unlimited presidential terms.

Until changehappens, Fotouh said, people will remain in the streets.

A variety of officials took part in the negotiations, includingmembers of secular opposition parties, independent legal experts, a representative of opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradeiand business tycoon Naguib Sawiris, according to Reuters.

The negotiations marked the first time theMuslim Brotherhood, officially banned in Egypt,hasheld direct talks with thegovernment. In the past, Egyptian officials have accused the groupof trying to overthrow the secular order.

Senior Brotherhood leader Mohammed Mursi said his representatives would besticking to the protesters' main condition that Mubarak step downafter nearly 30 years in power.

Mubarak has said he would not run for the presidency again in elections slated for September, buthas insisted he will serve out the remaining seven months of his current term to supervise a peaceful transfer of power.

Countries such as Israel and the U.S. have worried that the anti-government protests would end with an Islamist government eventually running the country.

Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Assam el-Aryan said hisparty won't contest the next election,but it will help with the transition of power.

"We are ready for any duty, any burden that can be given to us as a task for the future of our country," he said.

On Saturday, Hossam Badrawi, the new secretary general of the ruling National Democratic Party, replaced Safwat El Sherif, who resigned from the post.At the same time the president's son, Gamal Mubarak, stepped down ashead of the party's policies committee.

Doctors, medical supplies enter protest square

Several women were among the anti-government demonstrators whocontinued to occupy Cairo's Tahrir Square as the weekend came to a close.

As thousands of chanting protesters gatheredinthe square, doctors in white coatscame with medical supplies, the CBC's David Common reported from the scene.

Protesters have been camped out in the square for a week, butsupplieshave been flowing in forthe past two days.

Meanwhile,garbage trucks weremaking the rounds again and banksnear the square were able to reopen on Sunday.

Peoplehave been clamouring to get into the banks amid reports thatautomated tellershave been running out of money.

Overnight,the army set up checkpoints farther away from the square in central Cairo.David Common saidhe saw the army confiscating food and other supplies and he heard they were turning away cars but letting pro-government supporters through.

The UN estimates at least 300 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in the unrest in Egypt.

Stability in Egypt of global concern: Cannon

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said it's up to Egyptians to determine the political makeup of their country, butCanada is calling for respect for human rights, religious freedoms and for Egypt to continue to recognize the state of Israel.

"There must be stability in that region because it does affect global security," Cannon told CBC News on Sunday in an interview from Ottawa.

Cannon revealed that nearly 500 Canadians have opted to voluntarily leave Egypt on flights arranged by the Canadian government.

When the service to help Canadians leave the countryfor connecting flights in Europe began early last week,Foreign Affairsestimated thatabout 6,500 Canadians were in Egypt, including 1,200 registered with the Canadian Embassy.

Regular commercial flights out of Egypt are still available, Cannon noted.