Gamal Mubarak excludes himself from the presidential elections "I am not a candidate and the constitutional amendment has not made me change my mind." Gamal Mubarak, reports Omayma Abdel-Latif, was speaking to reporters at a press conference held following last Wednesday's monthly NDP Policy Secretariat meeting, the first of the committee's meetings to be held since President Hosni Mubarak asked for Article 76 of the Constitution to be amended. During the press conference he was asked three times to state his position on presidential elections. "I have been asked this question so many times before," he said, clearly frustrated, "and I have said repeatedly that these are baseless claims." "There are some," he continued, "who make claims about the issue of succession and then want to believe them. That is their problem." Mubarak's unequivocal denial should close the door -- at least for now -- on speculation that he is being groomed to succeed his father. Following President Mubarak's decision to amend Article 76 of the Constitution that speculation grew to fever pitch, particularly within opposition circles, with many hinting the amendment was a ploy to increase Gamal Mubarak's chances of succeeding his father in an acceptable manner. "We are a republic and the president is keen only on reinforcing the democratic republican characteristic of the regime in Egypt," added Mubarak. It was, perhaps, inevitable that the press conference, intended to address NDP economic policies -- Gamal Mubarak was flanked by Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed and Minister of Investment Mohamed Mohieddin -- should have been high- jacked by the issue of reform. Mubarak characterised the amendment as "an unprecedented move in the history of Egyptian politics". Mubarak criticised those "who claim that every step on the road to reform, be it economic or political, is due to foreign factors." "Reform is an internal demand," he said, "and the president is only responding to the ongoing public debate on reform." Mubarak said the NDP has yet to make a final decision on its presidential candidate. "The president has been asked more than once but has not yet made a final decision." Meanwhile, discussions within the NDP's rank and file continue over other important issues, among them the conditions for endorsing the candidacy of those who want to join the presidential race and the membership of the committee which will supervise elections. The opposition has repeatedly accused the NDP of sabotaging Mubarak's initiative for political reform by seeking to impose impossible conditions on candidates. "Some claim the NDP has hijacked the process but this is not true," said Mubarak. "The party has not finalised its position on these issues and welcomes any intervention from other political forces." Mubarak disclosed that the forthcoming round of dialogue between the NDP and opposition parties will address the opposition's concerns and provide an opportunity "to listen to their ideas". Asked whether the president should step aside to provide room for a younger leadership, Gamal Mubarak said this was up to "the president and the Egyptian people to decide". "The president has a strong record of progress. Whether the Egyptian people vote for him based on his record of achievement or not is up to them," he said.
