| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| Mubarak clings to power despite pressure |
| 2011-02-06 |
| [Ennahar] Egyptian geriatric President Hosni Mubarak seemed to cling to power on Saturday, bringing together for the first time his new cabinet at a time when thousands of people continued for the 12th consecutive day to protest to demand his immediate departure. Meanwhile, ...back at the ranch... a gas terminal has been the target of a kaboom in the Egyptian Sinai, but it was not immediately clear whether the sabotage was linked to the uprising. In Tahrir Square, emblem of the challenge which is not fading in downtown Cairo, thousands of demonstrators chanted "Go away, go away" to Mr Mubarak, 82, who governs Egypt with an iron fist for 29 years. But Mr. Mubarak also called by the U.S. to fade as quickly as possible, shows no sign of willingness to resign. He has met Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, who had ruled out the day before a transition between Mr. Mubarak and Vice-President Omar Suleiman, Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy, the head of the Central Bank Farouk Oqda and Finance Minister Samir Radwan. This is the first time he has done since the sacking of the previous January 29 cabinet under pressure from the street. For the leader of the opposition movement Kefaya, George Ishaq, the meeting "is proof that he (Mubarak) clings to his position and wants to show the people that he is still there." But abroad, news reports revealed a number of scenarios that would aim to ensure a dignified exit for Mr. Mubarak, after President Barack B.O.Obama said that "discussions" had taken on the political transition. According to The New York Times, the new vice-president Omar Suleiman and Egyptian army chiefs discuss assumptions to limit the authority of Mr. Mubarak. Among them, it could be suggested to Mr. Mubarak to go live in his residence in Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea, or go for one of these medical treatments he usually does every year in Germany, which would be extended this time. Mr. Suleiman would then form a transitional government and launch a dialogue with the opposition to reform. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 If Mubarak is clear that he is leaving in September, his forces still have the chutzpah to enforce an orderly transition, no matter what Bambi wants. Doing so would do much to reinforce the notion that Egypt is more stable than the typical hummus republic. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-02-06 08:21 |