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Egypt Makes Political Moves as Protests Continue

   VOA News  February 05, 2011
   Egyptian  anti-Mubarak  protesters  shout  slogans  as  they  march in
   Alexandria, Egypt, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011

Photo: AP

   Egyptian  anti-Mubarak  protesters  shout  slogans  as  they  march in
   Alexandria, Egypt, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011

   The  leadership  of Egypt's ruling party has resigned, as thousands of
   anti-government  protesters  continued  their  vigil  in  Cairo's main
   square to call for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.
   Egyptian  state  television says the entire leadership of the National
   Democratic   Party  resigned,  including  the  president's  son  Gamal
   Mubarak.  There  were  conflicting  reports  about  whether  President
   Mubarak was leaving his party's leadership.
   The  party  has  been  the  ruling political faction of Egypt and drew
   sharp  international  criticism over Parliamentary elections last year
   that opponents say were rigged.
   Earlier  Saturday,  Egyptian  state  media said Mr. Mubarak held talks
   with  officials that included the prime minister, the ministers of oil
   and finance and the central bank governor.
   The  trade  minister, Samiha Fawzi Ibrahim, said Saturday that exports
   fell  6 percent in January because of the unrest.  Some estimates say
   the unrest is costing the country $310 million a day.
   Meanwhile,   Egyptian   soldiers   are  trying  to  coax  anti-Mubarak
   demonstrators out of Tahrir Square.
   A senior army official, commander Hassan al-Roweny, went to the square
   with  a  loudspeaker  Saturday and made an unsuccessful attempt to get
   protesters to go home.
   The  protesters  have  also resisted the military's attempts to remove
   their  barricades.   Al-Jazeera   television  says  the military has
   brought  in  cranes  and  flat-bed  vehicles  in  an  effort to remove
   barricades and burned out vehicles from the square.
   Some  demonstrators  have vowed to continue protests until Mr. Mubarak
   resigns, although the Egyptian leader said earlier in the week he will
   not  leave  until  his  term ends this fall.  Opposition protests are
   also continuing Saturday in Alexandria.
   Several  opposition  leaders  are  holding  talks  Saturday  with Vice
   President  Omar  Suleiman.  However, the Muslim Brotherhood - Egypt's
   largest  opposition group - says it is not willing to join talks until
   Mr. Mubarak resigns.
   Opposition  protesters  had declared Friday the "day of departure" for
   Mr. Mubarak.  Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Cairo and
   other  cities  where they called for his immediate resignation.  In a
   Thursday interview with ABC,  Mr. Mubarak said he would like to leave
   office  now  but  fears the move would cause Egypt to sink deeper into
   chaos.   President Mubarak has ruled Egypt for about 30 years.
   The  United  Nations  estimates  more  than  300  people have died and
   thousands  have been wounded in Egypt since the unrest erupted in late
   January.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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