US distances itself from Wisner's remarks on Mubarak

WASHINGTON: The United States distanced itself Saturday from a one-time envoy's suggestion that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should remain in office during a democratic transition. Frank Wisner, an influential retired diplomat and former US ambassador to Egypt who met with Mubarak at President Barack Obama's request this week, "was speaking for himself and not for the US government," a senior Obama administration official said in Washington. Wisner earlier called Mubarak an "old friend" of the United States, and said he "must stay in office in order to steer those changes through." "President Mubarak's continued leadership is critical," Wisner told the Munich Security Conference via video link. "It's his opportunity to write his own legacy. He has given 60 years of his life to the service of his country, this is an ideal moment for him to show the way forward." Another US official said he did not actually hear Wisner's comments and declined to comment on them when reporters read them out loud, but stressed the former diplomat was acting in a private capacity. "Frank Wisner was speaking as a private citizen... analyst... not as a representative of the US government," the official said on condition of anonymity. On Friday, Obama said the proud "patriot" Mubarak should listen to his people and make the "right decision," avoiding an explicit request for the longtime US ally to step down immediately. But citing unnamed US and Egyptian officials, The New York Times reported on Saturday that new vice president Omar Suleiman and senior Egyptian military leaders are exploring ways for Mubarak to make a graceful exit. Mubarak, who has led the most populous Arab nation with an autocratic hand for nearly three decades unchallenged until now, has said he is "fed up" with his job, but prefers to stay in power until September elections while calm is restored. Wisner said the Obama administration dispatched him on Monday to Cairo, where he met with the 82-year-old Egyptian leader and Suleiman. He is now back in the United States. "The crisis is of extraordinary importance. What happens in Egypt affects all of our interests throughout the region," Wisner said. "The United States has had a long and very close relationship -- 30 years plus -- standing with Egypt. Where Egypt goes, the domestic order, the external orientation of the Middle East, will be profoundly affected." Wisner said his mission "was to make sure that we communicated in a respectful manner to a man who has been an old friend of the US but who now faces the huge responsibility of having to lead Egypt through a transition to a new and a different future, and to do so without resorting to force."           current news,news headlines,world news today,latest news headlines, news 24, top news,headline news,business news,national news,news update, news articlesnews headlines today, world news headlines,      breaking news english,current news events,local news,latest world news,news stories,recent news,cnn headline news,latest breaking news,cnn world news,prime news,msn news, current world news,philippine news,urdu news,world news now,local breaking news,funny news,international news,latest local news,       breaking world news,breaking news headlines,late breaking news, win news,boxing news,economic news,      world breaking news,current news stories,news in hindi,news nz,irish news,economy news, it news,news,       worldnews,news today,breaking news,

Mubarak must make 'right decision': Obama

 WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama Friday delivered a clear hint that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should step down now, saying the proud "patriot" should listen to his people and make the "right decision."

Obama did not explicitly call on Mubarak to resign, but said the Arab strongman had already made the psychological leap of realizing his rule was ebbing, and now should reconsider his position amid a mass uprising.

The US president staked out a veiled, but forceful, position as tens of thousands of demonstrators held "departure day" protests in Cairo, and the United States sought a way to prod Mubarak to the exit after 30 years in power.

"I believe that President Mubarak cares about his country. He is proud, but he is also a patriot," Obama said.

"What I've suggested to him is, is that he needs to consult with those who are around him in his government.

"He needs to listen to what is being voiced by the Egyptian people, and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly, but that is meaningful and serious."

Obama did not explicitly say Mubarak should leave power immediately, with the White House highly sensitive to perceptions that it is engineering Egypt's political future in a region that pulsates with anti-American feeling.

But his choice of words made clear that Washington's call for an immediate political transition did not include its wily ally of three decades, who has been a fulcrum of US Middle East policy.

"The key question he should be asking himself is, 'how do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period?'" Obama said.

"My hope is, is that he will end up making the right decision."

Amid reports that Washington was working on a number of scenarios with key players in Cairo that would result in Mubarak's departure, Obama stressed Egyptians must decide their future themselves.

But he said he understood "some discussions" were already underway in Egypt on a transition to a system that would respect universal rights and lead to free and fair elections.

Mubarak's one-time foreign minister and a future possible presidential candidate, Arab League chief Amr Mussa, meanwhile said he doubted his former boss would leave any time soon.

The New York Times reported that Washington has been pushing proposals for Omar Suleiman, Mubarak's veteran intelligence chief and now vice president, to head a transitional government.

The White House took issue with aspects of the report, but did not deny it outright, and its response hinted that the United States may be studying a range of options to prod Mubarak to go and defuse the confrontation in Cairo.

"It's simply wrong to report that there's a single US plan that's being negotiated with the Egyptians," a senior White House official said on condition of anonymity.

Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq however ruled out the possibility that Mubarak would transfer power to Suleiman.

Amid signs of intense US diplomacy on a crisis which could impact Washington's foreign policy for years, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed to a major security conference in Munich with Egypt topping her agenda.

During the flight, she called Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and was in "constant" touch with Washington, a State Department official said.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates meanwhile spoke by phone to his Egyptian counterpart, Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi.

The Pentagon is apparently seeking to guard its ties with Egypt's politically powerful military.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff cautioned against cutting the 1.3 billion dollars in US annual support to the Egyptian military, following signals from the White House that the aid bonanza was under review.

"I would just caution against doing anything until we really understand what's going on," Admiral Mike Mullen said in an interview on media.

For years, Egypt has been the second largest recipient of US foreign aid after Israel.

Obama also delivered another unequivocal warning that violence against journalists, human rights activists and journalists was unacceptable, though said he was pleased with restraint shown on a mass day of protests on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Obama said he told Mubarak clearly in two telephone calls that the "old ways" that had sustained his 30-year-rule were not going to work.

"Suppression is not going to work, engaging in violence is not going to work."

Later Friday the White House said Obama had spoken to key regional ally Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister of Turkish prime minister to discuss the situation in Egypt, and the pair agreed their countries "would continue to consult closely as events unfold in Egypt."

Egypt minister sorry for 'harsh treatment'

WASHINGTON: Egypt's Finance Minister Samir Radwan apologized Friday for any instance of journalists or Egyptian protestors that have been subject to "harsh treatment" at the hands of government forces, in an interview with CNN. "I would apologize to any journalist or any foreigner or any egyptian for that matter that has been subjected to this harsh treatment," the newly appointed minister told CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "I inquired and I was told that there is zero tolerance, zero tolerance of this government on attacks against foreigners, let alone journalists whom we need to have them on our side, to watch this situation unfold and convey a much better image to the outside world," he said. Radwan acknowledge the protestors that have mounted massive protests across Egypt in recent days had "fair demands." "They are talking about jobs. They are talking about corruption. They are talking about, you know, the freedom and so on... Now the fact that there are other political agenda that interfered with the situation and unfortunately on Wednesday the situation turned a bit nasty." Clashes left at least eight people dead and more than 800 hurt on Wednesday and Thursday. According to UN estimates, more than 300 people have been killed since the protests began. Egypt's defiant strongman Hosni Mubarak meanwhile Friday showed no sign of quitting following a "departure day" on Friday that drew tens of thousands opposed to his 30-year grip on power and international calls for him to quit. US President Barack Obama meanwhile hinted that Mubarak should step down saying the "patriot" should "listen what is voiced by the people," while EU leaders clearly said it was time for change.