Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak continued to resist calls for his immediate resignation today as hundreds more Britons prepared to flee the troubled country.
Egypt: Mubarak Won't Budge Despite Protests
8:54am UK, Saturday February 05, 2011
Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak continued to resist calls for his immediate resignation today as hundreds more Britons prepared to flee the troubled country.
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Egypt's "day of departure" saw tens of thousands of demonstrators gather peacefully in Tahrir Square in central Cairo, again demanding the president must go.
But the results were not as planned and Mr Mubarak said he will serve out the remaining seven months of his term to ensure a stable process.
Claims of chaos ensuing if he were to leave now have been supported by Egyptian state TV reports of a "terrorist" bomb attack on gas facilities in North Sinai.
He told US president Barack Obama: "You don't understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now."
The tense atmosphere in central Cairo has calmed from earlier in the week when pro-government mobs ranged against democracy supporters, followed by orchestrated attacks on foreign journalists.
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A second Foreign Office-chartered flight will take off by 4pm today en route from Cairo to London's Gatwick Airport with up to 165 passengers on board.
A spokesman said it had received 160 "expressions of interest" to board the 165-seat plane, with 100 people already confirmed on the flight.
Demonstrations were also set to take place in London today in solidarity with the people of Egypt - following a small overnight gathering outside the Egyptian embassy.
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Ash Hegab, 27, from south-east London, said: "We are proud of what the people are doing and how they have mobilised.
"We are saying whatever they want, we are there for them. I'm lucky - when I'm in Egypt I can use my British passport."
Speaking from Cairo, Sky's foreign editor Tim Marshall said political discussion continued but progress was slow as the country's Muslim Brotherhood refused to take part.
"They are a large piece in the jigsaw and they are refusing to take part until Mr Mubarak has gone," Marshall said.
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President Barack Obama said that discussions have begun in Egypt on a turnover of the government and he called for a "transition period that begins now."
"We want to see this moment of turmoil turned into a moment of opportunity," he said.
He did not explicitly call for Mr Mubarak to step down immediately, but US officials said the administration has made a judgment that Mr Mubarak has to go soon if the crisis is to end peacefully.
Under one US proposal, the 82-year-old leader would step down and hand power to a military-backed temporary government headed by his newly appointed vice president, Omar Suleiman.
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The government would prepare for free and fair elections later this year.
President Obama added: "(Mr Mubarak) needs to listen to what's being voiced by the Egyptian people and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly but that is meaningful and serious."
A statement agreed at a Brussels EU summit yesterday stopped short of calling on Mr Mubarak to step aside.
Instead it challenged the regime to honour the terms of a 150 million-a-year EU "Association Agreement".
Under the agreement Egypt is committed to push through political and economic reforms in return for trade concessions and financial aid.
An anti-government demonstrator clutches a bloodstained Egyptian flag in Cairo
The declaration urged the Egyptian authorities "to meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people with political reform, not repression".
It said: "All parties should show restraint and avoid further violence and begin an orderly transition to a broad-based government.
"The European Council underlined that this transition process must start now."
Speaking at a post-summit press conference, David Cameron said: "The protests that we have seen have shown that popular desire for change is unstoppable and fundamental political change is inevitable."
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He said he hoped the mainly peaceful demonstrations "have shown that there is a yearning for serious democracy and rights that we take for granted".
The Prime Minister restated his call for the transition of power to "start now" and said Europe should "move fast" to support it.
Asked why EU leaders were not expressly calling for the removal of President Mubarak, Mr Cameron replied: "I don't think it's the role of leaders in the west to dictate to other countries exactly who should be running their countries and in what way. It is important to bear that in mind."
:: Anyone who wants to get a flight on the charter service can call 020 7008 8765 or if dialling from within Egypt, 02 2791 6000.
:: Returning Britons describe Egypt as a 'war zone'
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