Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa has said he would nominate himself for Egypt's presidency “depending on circumstances.” In an interview published Monday by Spanish daily El Pais, Moussa was asked if he would be interested in leading Egypt's interim government or running for president. He responded by saying: “Both positions will be considered when the time comes. I don't answer hypothetical questions.” Moussa, who acted as ousted president Hosni Mubarak's foreign minister from 1991 to 2001, also said that Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq's government should lead the transitional period provided that a "good team that understands the country's future" was put in place. Shafiq was appointed prime minister on 29 January by then-president Mubarak following a massive wave of nationwide protests in demand of the regime's ouster. Moussa, who pledged to resign from the Arab League in March, also endorsed plans by Egypt's Armed Forces to carry out democratic reforms, despite continuing reservations about the current government on the part of the opposition. "The Supreme Council [of the Armed Forces] has taken several steps, such as constitutional reforms, the dissolution of parliament and calling for the public to go back to work and restore calm,” he said. Several opposition movements, however, complain that the regime they protested against still remains in place. They are demanding the resignation of Shafiq, since he was appointed by Mubarak before the latter stepped down. When asked whether Mubarak should be prosecuted, Moussa denounced the idea. “Why? We will see if there is anything against him. But for now, he is retired and should be treated like an ex-president, with all due respect,” he said. Moussa added that he was currently in the process of consulting with Egypt's Armed Forces, stressing that presidential elections should be held no later than September. “You cannot expect a total change in Egypt in six months," he said. "This is a long process.” El Pais's Georgina Higueras, who interviewed Moussa, wrote that the Arab League chief had described the Egyptian uprising throughout the interview merely as “the events.” During the 18-day uprising, Moussa spoke cautiously, urging all parties to "show restraint." Former Vice President Omar Suleiman told Egyptian reporters days before Mubarak's ouster that he had asked Moussa to urge protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square to negotiate with the embattled regime. On 4 February, Moussa visited Tahrir Square but failed to persuade demonstrators to call off their protests.
