ElBaradei on Mubarak Speech: Clear Act of Deception

Egyptian opposition leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei is pictured here two days ago as he declares a "new era" for Egypt before thousands on the Tahrir Square. EPA/BGNES

Egypt's opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei has dismissed President Mubarak's vow to quit after the polls as "a trick" to remain in power.

"This is clearly an act of deception. This is a person who doesn't want to let go. You have seen what the city looks like, what the people want. And they continuously try to play tricks," the Nobel Peace Prize winner told CNN news channel.

He demanded that Mubarak step down immediately and hand over power to a caretaker government until elections can be held.

"He is unfortunately going to extend the agony here. He continues to polarize the country. He continues to get people to be even more angry. Whoever gave him that advice gave him absolutely the wrong advice. Not at best to be a lame duck person, he's going to be a dead man walking. I don't really understand what is behind that other than a further six, seven months of instability," ElBaradei said.

Meanwhile Ayman Nour, a presidential candidate from the race in 2005, said the speech was very depressing and does not suit the events that are happening in Egypt.

"The president said he would not run for elections again but that was a given already before he gave the speech. He did not at any point in his speech reject the possibility that his son could run for president," Nour said CNN.

According to him the speech has fired up the crowd and all of the people in Tahrir Square are angrier than ever.

"I call on all the leaders and intellectuals around the world to call on President Mubarak to step down because he will lead the whole region into destruction, chaos and disaster," he said.

The comments came shortly after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced Tuesday that he would not stand for re-election during presidential elections scheduled for September but neither would he step down early.

Speaking on state TV, Mubarak promised constitutional reform, but said he wanted to stay until the end of his current presidential term.

The announcement came as hundreds of thousands rallied in central Cairo urging him to step down immediately. The protestors have said they are not satisfied with his announcement that he will turn over power in September as this simply isn't enough.

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