Adly Mansour's decree（法令） envisages² changes to the Islamist-drafted constitution and a referendum, which would pave way the way for elections early next year. 

 

This comes as at least 51 people were killed in the capital Cairo. 

 

The Muslim Brotherhood³ says its members were fired on at a sit-in for ousted⁴ President Mohammad Morsi. The army says it responded to an armed provocation⁵.

 

Mr Morsi, an Islamist and Egypt's first freely elected leader, was removed from office by the army last week after mass protests.

 

His supporters accuse the military of staging a coup⁶, but his opponents say the move is the continuation of the revolution that deposed⁷ President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

 

 

Mr Mansour issued the decree late on Monday.

 

It says that a panel to amend⁸ the constitution - which was suspended last week - would be formed within 15 days.

 

The changes would then be put to a referendum - to be organised within four months. 

 

This would lead to parliamentary elections - which could be held early in 2014. 

 

Finally, presidential elections would be called once the new parliament convenes⁹. 

 

The Muslim Brotherhood has so far made no public comment on the proposed timetable.

 

Mr Mansour's move comes amid continuing mass protests by both supporters and opponents of Mohammad Morsi.

 

The situation will have to improve radically¹⁰ if Mr Mansour's timetable for elections is not to prove hopelessly unrealistic, the BBC's Jim Muir in Cairo reports.

 

In the meantime, the focus will remain on trying to prevent another explosion of violence and to agree on an interim prime minister to form a transitional government to stabilise the country and prepare for elections.

 

Meanwhile, the United States has condemned¹¹ the violence in Egypt, calling for "maximum restraint". 

 

A White House statement said Washington was "not aligned¹²" with any political movement, adding that cutting military aid to Egypt was not in US interests.

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