Fri, February 11, 2011
BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WILLIAM HAGUE, ON BBC TELEVISION
We are studying very closely what the president and vice president of Egypt have said. It is not immediately clear what powers are being handed over and what the full implications are.
We think the solution to this has to be owned by the Egyptian people themselves. All we want in the United Kingdom is for them to be able to settle their own differences in a peaceful and democratic way.
BRIAN KATULIS, MIDDLE EAST EXPERT AT CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS IN WASHINGTON AND INFORMAL ADVISER TO WHITE HOUSE
The essential question right now is what happens on the streets and how the military will handle that.
It seems to me the army is sending different signals. Earlier today it was reported that they had senior officials say to demonstrators all of your demands will be fully met. That clearly was not the case if you listen to Mubarak's and Suleiman's speeches. That indicates to me some possibilities for internal divisions.
ROBERT SPRINGBORG, PROFESSOR OF NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS AT THE U.S. NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
It's an enormously provocative step. There are desperate men, willing to gamble the fate of the nation for their own personal interest. It's a very sad historic moment for Egypt.
The speeches tonight are not intended to bring an end to the crisis in a peaceful way but to inflame the situation so there is justification for the imposition of direct military rule. They are risking not only the coherence of the military but even indeed, and I use this term with advisement here, civil war.
I think it needs to be made perfectly clear (by outside powers) that Mubarak and his regime are forfeiting Egypt's future. Egypt is in an economic crisis. It is going to have to be bailed out and the short answer to what they are doing now is that it will not be bailed out with anything like a military regime in place that is associated with Mubarak, Omar Suleiman and these people who are part of this regime.
ANTHONY CORDESMAN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
The truth is that even the senior military now at the top of the power structure under Mubarak almost certainly have no clear idea of what happens next, and it will be days before anyone knows how well the transition will function, who goes and who stays, and how stable the result really is.
ANGUS BLAIR, HEAD OF RESEARCH, BELTONE FINANCIAL, CAIRO
Now he's not leaving, and it's not enough. The market's not going to rise, the market is going to fall, and people are angry. Expect a weekend of disturbance, of bigger protests.
STEPHEN GRAND, MIDDLE EAST EXPERT, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION IN WASHINGTON
It was quite surreal. He's a stubborn old man who refused to see the writing on the wall. I happen to believe the demonstrations will continue, people will continue to push for his ouster and eventually will succeed.
ROSEMARY HOLLIS, PROFESSOR OF MIDDLE EAST POLICY STUDIES, CITY UNVERSITY LONDON
This is simply not enough. A critical turning point was reached in the last two days and I don't see Mubarak can hang on without there being serious trouble now. The demonstrators are very disappointed and there will be violence.
JOHN SFAKIANAKIS, ECONOMIST, BANQUE SAUDI FRANSI
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