Mubarak said he won’t seek another term in office. He said he would like Egypt to “work towards a peaceful transition of power within the next few months.”
Mubarak, 82, also said, “I defended [Egypt’s] soil, sovereignty and interest and I will die on its soil.”
He referenced the current turmoil engulfing Egyptian streets, saying, “Egypt will be brave through the current circumstances to be more strong, more harmonious, more confident.”
The next presidential election is expected to occur in September.
Mubarak spoke on state television during the evening after a day of massive protests across the country. BBC News reports Tuesday’s demonstrations saw the highest number of people gathering in Cairo, “with hundreds of thousands flooding Tahrir Square to demand that President Hosni Mubarak stands down.”
BBC also reports US President Barack Obama isent a message to Mubarak to suggest he should not stand in the upcoming elections.
For the past two weeks, Egyptians have protested on the streets of Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and other cities. The Egyptian uprising was triggered by Tunisia’s own revolution several weeks ago.
