US push to ease out Mubarak

Feb 05, 2011 |

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Washington, Feb. 4: The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for the President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately and turn over power to a transitional government headed by the vice-president, Mr Omar Suleiman, with the support of the military, US officials and Arab diplomats have said.

Even though Mr Mubarak has balked, so far, at leaving now, officials from both governments are continuing the talks about a plan in which Mr Suleiman, backed by Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, Egyptian armed forces chief, and Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, the defence minister, would immediately begin a process of constitutional reform.

The proposal also calls for the transitional government to invite members from a broad range of Opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, to begin work to open up the country’s electoral system in an effort to bring about free and fair elections in September, the officials said.

Senior US officials said the proposal was one of many options under discussion with high-level Egyptian officials around Mr Mubarak in an effort to persuade the President to step down now.

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