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White House, Egypt Discuss Plan for Mubarak's Exit

(New York Times) Helene Cooper and Mark Landler - The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately and turn over power to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military, administration officials and Arab diplomats said Thursday. Under the plan, Suleiman, backed by Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, chief of the Egyptian armed forces, and Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, the defense minister, would immediately begin a process of constitutional reform. Mubarak himself remains determined to stay until the election in September. Yet administration officials made it clear that their preferred outcome would be for Suleiman to take power as a transitional figure. American officials have told their Egyptian counterparts that if they support another strongman to replace Mubarak - without a specific plan and timetable for moving toward democratic elections - Congress might react by freezing military aid to Egypt.
2011-02-04 08:41:34
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