Mubarak ‘fed up’ of unrest, but fears chaos if he resigns

CAIRO - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said that he is ‘fed up’ and ‘wants to resign’, but worries that his country will sink into chaos if he surrenders his post now.

ABC News quoted Mubarak as saying that he wants to quit over the prevailing protests against him, “but cannot for fear of the country falling into chaos. You don’t understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now.”

He said that he is very concerned about the violence in Tahrir Square that has been going on over the last few days, but denied that his government was responsible for it. Instead, he blamed the Muslim Brotherhood, a banned political party in Egypt, for the disturbed situation.

Raising further concerns over the violence that his supporters had launched against the anti-government protesters in Liberation Square, Mubarak said: “I was very unhappy about yesterday. I do not want to see Egyptians fighting each other.”

On being asked about his opinion on people demanding his exit, the President said that he does not “care” what people say about him, but that he “cares about Egypt,” and added that he would never run away from his country.

“I would never run away. I will die on this soil,” Mubarak added.

He, however, assured that his son Gamal, who was once widely considered to be his successor, would not follow him into office.

“I never intended to run for office again. I never intended Gamal to be President after me,” Mubarak said. (ANI)