Egyptians staged one of their biggest protests yet today, demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down now, their wrath undiminished by the vice president's announcement of a plan to transfer power.
With the government refusing to budge on the demonstrators' main demands, vice President Omar Suleiman promised no reprisals against the protesters for their three-week-old campaign to eject the president after 30 years in office.
Protesters on Cairo's central Tahrir square accused the government of merely playing for time, and swore they would not give up until the current "half revolution" was complete.
Tens of thousands poured into the square to join those already camped there, filling it completely for the third time since the demonstrations began on January 25th. Many said it was their first time taking part.
"I came here for the first time today because this cabinet is a failure, Mubarak is still meeting the same ugly faces," said Afaf Naged (71), a former member of the board of directors of the state-owned National Bank of Egypt. "He can't believe it is over. He is a very stubborn man."
Mr Suleiman, a long-time intelligence chief, has led talks this week with opposition groups including the Muslim Brotherhood.
"A clear road map has been put in place with a set timetable to realise a peaceful and organised transfer of power," Mr Suleiman said. He declared that a separate committee would be established to monitor implementation of promised reforms in a bid to counter popular mistrust of the regime.
In comments broadcast on state television, he said: "A clear road map has been put in place with a set timetable to realise the peaceful and organised transfer of power."
So far the government has conceded little ground in the talks. The 82-year-old president, who has promised to stand down when his term expires in September, appears to be weathering the storm engulfing Egypt for the moment at least.
Talks between the government and opposition factions took place on Sunday under the gaze of a giant portrait of Mr Mubarak.
Many in a country where about 40 per cent of people live on less than $2 a day are desperate to return to work and normal life, even some of those wanting to oust Mr Mubarak. Some normality is returning to Cairo. Traffic was bumper-to- bumper in the city centre today and queues quickly built up at banks, which have so far opened only for restricted hours.
But people on Tahrir Square were sceptical about the talks and suspicious of Mubarak's motives. Youssef Hussein, a 52-year-old tourist driver from Aswan, held up a sign saying: "Dialogue prolongs the life of the regime and gives it the kiss of life. No dialogue until Mubarak leaves."
Ayman Farag, a Cairo lawyer, said the protesters' work was far from complete. "What has happened so far is only half a revolution and I hope it will continue to the end," he said.
Mr Suleiman promised that the harassment of protesters would end. "The president emphasised that Egypt's youth deserve the appreciation of the nation and issued a directive to prevent them being pursued, harassed or having their right to freedom of expression taken away," he said.
The United States, adopting a cautious approach, has urged all sides to allow time for an "orderly transition" to a new political order in Egypt.
Meanwhile, Egypt has released 34 political prisoners, the state news agency said today, the first men set free since the government reforms to quell a popular uprising. "Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy issued an order today releasing 34 political detainees considered to be among the extremist elements, after evaluating their positions," the MENA agency said.
"They showed good intentions and expressed their desire to live peaceably with society," it added. The agency said the men had handed themselves over to the authorities after escaping from prison during several days of disorder last month.
Security forces were withdrawn from the streets after failing to crush millions of protesters on January 28th. Security broke down at many prisons around the country.
Reuters