ElBaradei Wants to Negotiate with the Army

[seafan]

Source: Der Spiegel

.....

In an interview with SPIEGEL, ElBaradei called for Mubarak's immediate resignation. "Mubarak must go, not at some point, but now," the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency told SPIEGEL. He said he was certain Mubarak could "find some Arab state that would be willing to take him in. I have heard from Bahrain."

Media reports suggest that considerations have also been made to send Mubarak to Germany. The New York Times reported on Saturday that Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman and other top military leaders are considering flying Mubarak to Germany for a medical checkup. This is apparently a part of a leadership plan to find a dignified way out of the crisis for Mubarak, according to the paper. According to the plan, Mubarak would fly to Germany for his annual medical leave, only this time he would remain for an extended check-up. Another variant would see the president retreating to his holiday home in the Red Sea resort Sharm el Sheik, the New York Times wrote, citing unnamed US government sources. The goal is to provide a graceful exit for Mubarak that would see him leaving the presidential palace without being immediately stripped of the presidency.

.....

ElBaradei is now calling for new leadership in Egypt and he says he is prepared to negotiate with the military. "The longer things continue with Mubarak, the clearer it becomes: The country is falling apart, politically and economically," he told SPIEGEL. "I would prefer to speak to the army leadership soon," the opposition politician said, to "explore" how we could achieve a peaceful transition without bloodshed.

ElBaradei also warned the Israeli government that it must accept the end of the Mubarak regime. "The Israelis should understand that it is in their long-term interest to have a democratic Egypt as a neighbor." He also said it would be "prudent" for the Israelis to "acknowledge the legitimate interests of the Palestinians and to grant them their own state" for the sake of good relations with Cairo.

Read more: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,743762,00.html

[loudsue]

1. Woah! What he said to Israel just about insures that he will never be permitted

to head the new government in Egypt. The USA won't stand for someone telling Israel what to do unless its the USA. And then Israel will still do whatever the hell they please, about Palestine or anything else.

[earcandle]

2. I think we are going to have to learn that we do not have all of the power or choices.

[Pirate Smile]

4. What he said to Israel is essentially what the Obama Administration is saying to Israel.

Doesn't seem like a big deal.

[micraphone]

3. Suleiman is a Mubarak puppet.. appointed by Mubarak!

Used to be his 'Intelligence' chief (and may still be) and is probably in charge of the dreaded secret police now murdering protesters and rounding up and and brutalising reporters..

If he takes over, it's absolutely just more of the same.

They ALL have to go.

ElBaradei is the logical, nay only, choice.

[jberryhill]

6. Nobody elected El Baradei either

While he may be a great choice, the thing here is that nobody really has authority to speak for and on behalf of the protesters, even if that person is really wonderful and well-motivated.

The immediate problem right now is whether it is possible to set up free and fair elections, and whether it is better to do that under the current constitution, or

whether it is possible to convene or organize a body to restructure the current constitution, or at least provide some kind of transitional framework under which work can begin on a new one.

Of course El Baradei is a great guy, but the bottom line still has to be that Egypt needs a way to work out a democratic process beyond "a whole lot of folks in this crowd like him".

I doubt that there is "only" one person in Egypt capable of representing Egyptians as a democratically elected leader, and only the Egyptians can tell the world which person they would prefer to represent them.

[defendandprotect]

5. I'm sure what ElBaradei said would make sense to peace-loving Israelis who probably

would also like democracy and an end to what Americans are also suffering ...

rule by MIC!