- CAIRO: Egypt’s prime minister says stability is returning after 12 days of anti-government protests, appearing confident a resolution to the crisis can be reached without the immediate removal of President Hosni Mubarak.
The comments by Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq on state TV suggest the government may calculate it can ride out protests and reach a deal with its opponents without Mubarak’s ouster.
Protesters say they will continue their rallies until the 82-year-old president goes. Tens of thousands gathered in central Tahrir Square Saturday.
Shafiq said a 100,000-strong demonstration Friday failed to force Mubarak out as protesters hoped. “We haven’t been affected and God willing next Friday we won’t be affected,” he said. “All this leads to stability.”
