General

Mubarak says he will not resign

Elections still planned for September

In an address to Egyptians, President Hosni Mubarak reiterated he would not be stepping down before an elected government can take over, and intends to continue ruling with the support of those who want safety and stability for Egypt. Mubarak called the protesters’ demands legitimate, adding that “any state can make mistakes, what is most important is to acknowledge these mistakes.” The president, whose regime has been under siege since massive anti-government protests broke out more than two weeks ago, announced a peaceful transfer of power starting immediately, with free and transparent elections still planned for September. Mubarak also promised to carry out an inquiry to investigate the deaths that occurred during clashes between anti-government and pro-Mubarak demontrators. Finally, he announced that he would be handing over some powers to his vice president, Omar Suleiman. But he stopped short of meeting the main demand of protesters: that he resign completely and immediately. As he made his closing remarks, the hundreds of thousands gathered in Tahrir Square erupted in cries of “get out, get out,” while many raised shoes above their heads as the ultimate insult to Mubarak.

BBC News

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