THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt made a last desperate attempt to cling on to power on Monday night ordering his new vice-president to make concessions to demonstrators.
Omar Suleiman, the long-standing security chief appointed as Mr Mubarak’s deputy on Saturday, went on state television to announce negotiations for constitutional reform.
His move came after the army issued a statement promising it would not fire on demonstrators planning “million-strong marches” in the capital Cairo and Alexandria on Tuesday.
There was no immediate sign that Mr Mubarak was in a mood to concede to the demonstrators’ central demand that he hand over power, despite calls from world leaders, including those of America, Britain and the European Union, for an orderly transition.
He ordered a closure of railway lines and Egypt Air flights to prevent people flocking to join “million-strong marches” planned for Cairo and Alexandria on Tuesday. He also swore in a new cabinet, including a general, Mahmoud Wagdy al-Solaya, to replace the hated interior minister, Habib al-Adly, who was sacked on Friday.
Western diplomats who have talked to officials close to the president earlier said he seemed determined to stay on.
“President Mubarak still regards himself as playing a clear role in the future government of Egypt and he is not persuaded of the need to leave,” commented one diplomat. >>> Colin Freeman, Cairo and Richard Spencer in Cairo and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Monday, January 31, 2011
