14.02.2011, 10:34 3888

Egypt's President resigned

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, having been in power for 29 years, resigned, Vice President of Egypt Omar Suleiman made the announcement on state television, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Almaty. February 14. Kazakhstan Today - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, having been in power for 29 years, resigned, Vice President of Egypt Omar Suleiman made the announcement on state television, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Announcing Mr Mubarak's resignation, Vice-President Omar Suleiman said the president had handed power to the army, BBC News reported.

Mr Suleiman said on state TV that the high command of the armed forces had taken over.

Mr Mubarak has already left Cairo and is in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where he has a residence, officials say.

In Cairo, thousands of people gathered outside the presidential palace, in Tahrir Square and at state TV.

They came out in anger following an address by Mr Mubarak on Thursday. He had been expected to announce his resignation but stopped short of stepping down, instead transferring most powers to Mr Suleiman.

"The Supreme Council will run the affairs of the country on a temporary basis for six months or until the end of parliamentary and presidential elections," The Telegraph informed.

It announced a new constitution would be drawn up and subjected to a referendum. The current constitution, effectively set aside on Friday when Hosni Mubarak's resignation left the country without a president, made it virtually impossible for independent political parties to challenge the ruling National Democratic Party.

"Egypt is returning to the 1952 model of ruling the state via a council of army officers. The question now is to what extent the military elite will share power with its civilian counterparts," some analysts said, CNN reported.

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