Egypt unrest: John Kerry says Mubarak should step aside

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

February 01 2011 | Last updated at 16:11 GMT

Leading US Democratic senator John Kerry has urged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to pledge neither he nor his son will stand in this year's presidential election.

Mr Kerry, writing in the New York Times, said Mr Mubarak had to accept Egypt's stability "hinges on his willingness to step aside gracefully".

He is the highest-level US politician to push for Mr Mubarak to stand down.

Mr Kerry also said the United States "must look beyond the Mubarak era".

The BBC's Paul Adams, in Washington, says Mr Kerry is an influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is close to the White House so his views carry weight


Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12337372

[comsymp]

1. About damn time

Good for Kerry - hopefully, we'll soon hear Admin officials following suit.

Considering Kerry's usually um... careful choice of words, and considering his position / relationship w/the WH, maybe they've finally realized that Mubarek is out. The fact that Ambassador Scobey has already met with elBaradei and plans add'l meetings with Opposition leaders is a good sign.

[blm]

3. Kerry has a good relationship with elBaradei....I think Kerry is openly pulling Obama leftward

as a counter to the status quo contingent in his cabinet.

[karynnj]

4. Kerry actually was suggesting the same thing in a Friday interview on CNN

Hie first statement was also noteworthy in speaking of other peaceful protests - Ghandi and MLK.

It looks like the administration is of the opinion that Mubarak will fall - though Clinton and Obama have not said so yet.

[comsymp]

6. True, and credit to him

But there's a huuuuge difference in DC (and especially with senior Senators like Kerry) between "suggesting" and flat-out sayin' it. Again, I think this is a good thing.

[florida08]

2. Your turn Hillary

[comsymp]

7. Well, AJE has said a couple times in the past hour or so that

they're expecting word / a statement / something from the White House &/or Foggy Bottom shortly, so maybe we'll find out if Kerry was speaking for Kerry, or if it was a trial balloon?

[florida08]

8. lol Foggy Bottom

I hope so..this has gone on too long and violence will be coming soon if someone doesn't stand up for these people

[Turborama]

9. I've jut woken up. Have AJE or anyone else said any more on this? n/t

[comsymp]

10. Actually, they're saying right now that

he's due to come out shortly. They said maybe any second now -

[comsymp]

11. Well, THAT was a pleasant surprise

Orderly transition "must be orderly, peaceful & must begin now." (slightly paraphrased)

Of course that leaves open the question of what "begin" means, how long the transition should take - until the next scheduled election?

Didn't say he must step down immediately.

Took no questions.

[Turborama]

12. Thanks, I only caught the end of it. I liked Daniel Levy's (sp?) analysis

AJE are doing some awesome analysis themselves, as per usual.

:hi:

[bemildred]

5. Hey Hosni, what's it like under the bus? nt