Egypt's military took preliminary steps to return the nation to order after taking power following President Hosni Mubarak's ouster, promising to uphold international agreements and retain power until a civilian government is elected.
The military made the announcement on Saturday, one day after hundreds of thousands of jubilant protesters danced in the streets of the capital Cairo, celebrating an end to Mubarak's 30 years of authoritarian rule.
After the military released its statement, the main coalition of opposition groups announced it will end its protest in Tahrir Square, but will still hold weekly demonstrations after Friday prayers.
At a press conference Saturday, the group also outlined its specific demands for reform, calling for the lifting of emergency laws, the formation of a presidential council and the creation of a committee to rewrite the constitution.
The group also said it wants an investigation into alleged corruption in the Mubarak regime, and called for legal punishment for those deemed responsible for the deaths of protesters.
Other protesters vowed to remain in the square indefinitely.
Mubarak surrendered power to the military on Friday, after an 18-day uprising that saw millions of protesters demand his ouster and the introduction of sweeping democratic reforms.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces also relaxed a nighttime curfew and banned current and ex-government officials from travelling abroad without permission, apparent attempts to restore order while paving the way for a transition to the next elected government.
The military has asked the current, Mubarak-appointed government to continue operating until an elected civilian administration can be formed.
A military spokesperson appeared on state television Saturday, promising to abide by the country's international agreements, which has been read as an assurance that Egypt's peace treaty with Israel will be upheld.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the statement, saying the 1979 accord "has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East."
The army backed the people through the protests and were greeted with love after Mubarak's resignation.
Some soldiers stationed at Cairo's Tahrir Square celebrated in the crowd on Friday, and demonstrators lifted them on their shoulders.
Other troops stayed at their post, and Egyptians took pictures with them in front of tanks. Children ran up onto the vehicles.
Kamran Bokhari, regional director for Stratfor, a global intelligence agency, said the military's support will now be tested, as those protesters wait anxiously for the reforms they have been promised.
"The military has basically upheld its popularity, its affiliation with the public. But that was while President Mubarak was in the mix, Bokhari told CTV News Channel on Saturday. "Now that he is going and all eyes are on the military we are probably going to see a shift. People are already very cynical and saying ‘let's see what is going to happen.'
"Now comes the hard part. The easy part was having President Mubarak step down. Now the road from the current autocratic state to some form of democracy is going to be a long one."
Bokhari said it will take time to see exactly how much will change in Egypt. So far, only Mubarak has stepped down, leaving the rest of his regime still close to power. This also means Egypt's relationship with the West should remain unchanged for the time being.
"The people didn't want a coup, but that is essentially what they got. And now going from a coup to a democracy is going to be very difficult," he said.
An airport official in Cairo said on Saturday that the military has provided them with a list of former regime members and current officials who are not allowed to leave the country. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the list was meant to keep those in charge of the previous era from fleeing.
He would not identify those on the list, but said Information Minister Anas el-Fiqqi did not appear for a planned flight to London Saturday, apparently after hearing of the ban.
Egypt's state-run television said a nighttime curfew was being relaxed during the transition, now starting at midnight and ending at 6 a.m., instead of 8 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Banks also reopened last week and the stock market was scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, after nearly three weeks of closure.
Some barricades around Cairo's Tahrir Square were seen being removed, while some protesters said they would not leave until they saw democratic change taking place.
With files from The Associated Press
