Former Egypt ambassador to US joins new interim cabinet

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Thousands protested the military's removal of President Mohamed Morsi, demanding that he be reinstated. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

By Charlene Gubash, Producer, NBC News

CAIRO ? Egypt?s former ambassador to the United States will become the country?s foreign minister, it was announced Sunday as the new interim government, replacing ex-president Mohammed Morsi, takes shape.

Nabil Fahmy confirmed he had accepted the post hours before the reformist Mohamed ElBaradei was sworn in as interim vice president.

The changes appear to cement the outcome of the July 3 power shift ? condemned in many quarters as a coup ? in which Egypt?s military deposed the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Morsi in favor of a civilian government that will rule until fresh elections.

Technocrats and liberals are expected to make up most of the interim government.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo announced it would reopen for routine business Monday, after a closure of about two weeks.

The Embassy was forced to close in the run up to mass protests by pro-Morsi and anti-Morsi factions on Jun. 30. Those demonstrations eventually led to the Jul. 3 power shift.

The Muslim Brotherhood is calling for mass protests Monday across Egypt to denounce the military's action, and to condemn the decision to issue arrest warrants for the movement?s leaders.

On Sunday, the U.S. State Department also announced the Deputy Secretary Bill Burns will be visiting Cairo from July 14 to July 16, and while there will meet with government officials as well as civil society and business leaders.

"In all these meetings, he will underscore U.S. support for the Egyptian people, an end to all violence, and a transition leading to an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government," the department said in a statement.

NBC News' Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report.

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This story was originally published on Sun Jul 14, 2013 12:20 PM EDT

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