Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Friday that the majority of Egyptian citizens would like Mubarak to leave in a dignified manner, hinting that the protesters' call for Mubarak's immediate resignation may not be met.
In a statement to Al-Hurra satellite channel, Shafiq promised that his government would continue to invite opposition forces to engage in dialogue.
"The truth, to be very clear, is that if it were possible to hold a general vote on the demand to have Mubarak leave now, 90 or 95 percent of Egyptians will say that it is all a matter of five months," he said.
"Preparing for protests is possible… to ask the president not to depart today, but rather to leave when his presidential term is over," the prime minister said. "It is possible to find twice as many people who believe in a more dignified exit."
Shafiq pointed out that a dialogue is under way with some opposition forces to try to find a solution. "What we want to say is that dialogue means a kind of understanding to arrive at a deal between those at the negotiating table," said Shafiq. "Everything is up for an understanding between the parties involved." All the demands of the Egyptian public will be fully met, added Shafiq.
Shafiq's statements come amid large protests in all of Egypt's cities, with continued calls for Mubarak's departure on Friday. Prominent pro-democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei rejected Mubarak's decision to stay in office until the end of his term, renewing his call for Mubarak's departure and the formation of a transitional government.
