Cairo, Egypt (CNN) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has decided not to seek re-election, a senior U.S. official involved in the Obama administration’s deliberations on Egypt said today.
The official cited “reliable contacts in Cairo” for the news and said that Mubarak will make an announcement about his intention.
“There have been a lot of mixed signals” over the past week, said the official, but such an announcement would be “a significant step in the right direction.”
The official said the White House has made clear “at the highest levels” that it wanted Mubarak to state that neither he nor his son, Gamal, would be a presidential candidate in the next elections set for September.
Mubarak’s decision comes as Egypt teeters on a political precipice and it’s unclear whether it will satisfy angry and frustrated demonstrators who want his immediate removal.
Many vowed today not to leave Cairo’s central square until Mubarak steps down.
