TRANSCRIPT: Hosni Mubarak TV address to Egypt

Transcript of embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's television address on Feb. 10, 2011. This is a computer-generated text transcript of the live-to-air English translation of Mubarak's speech on state television.

People and women of Egypt, I am addressing you today. I am addressing the youth of Egypt in Tahrir Square. And throughout Egypt, I am addressing you today with a speech from my heart.

A speech of a father to his sons and daughters.

I would like to tell you that I am proud of you as a symbol of a new generation of Egyptians that is calling for a better change. And it's committed to this change and a youth, which is dreaming and making the future.

I would like to talk to you first of all about all of your martyrs that are injured, their blood will not go in vain and I would like to stress I would not refrain from punishing those behind those crimes with all severity. Those who have committed crimes against our youth will be put on trial according to the courts and the laws. They will get severe punishments. And I would like to address the families of these innocent victims. It saddens me a great deal and it hurt my heart what had happened to them. In the same way you felt this hurt and pain.

I would like to tell you that my response to your voice, to your message, to your demands, is an irrevocable commitment and I am determined strongly to pledge what I have promised you with all seriousness and frankness. And I am committed strongly to implement without hesitation all of that without hesitation.

This commitment stems from a severe commitment, a strong commitment, in your confidence.

And your demands are legitimate and right demands. Any political system can commit mistakes and any state can commit mistakes. What is most important is to acknowledge these mistakes and put them right as soon as possible and put those behind them into account, bring them to account.

I would like to tell you as the president of the republic, I am not embarrassed to listen to the Youth of my country and to respond to them.

However, the main embarrassment and what is wrong and things that I will not accept ever is to listen to the talks coming from abroad, whichever it's coming from or for whatever reason or pretexts or excuses.

Youth of Egypt, sons of Egypt, brothers, citizens, I have expressed with all clarity my intention not to stand for the forthcoming elections.

What I have actually deployed the effort in this country for more than 60 years during the days of peace and war.

I express my commitment to this and I express a similar pledge and commitment to carry on — do my responsibility to protect the constitution, the interests of the people, until a transfer of power and responsibility is handed to whoever is elected by the electorate next September in fair and free elections that will be guaranteed with transparency and freedom.

This is the pledge that I made before God and the nation.

And I will protect this pledge until together we take Egypt to the safety, to the shore of safety.

I have expressed plans to get out of this crisis and also to implement the demands of people within the constitution's legitimacy and in a way that will achieve stability of our society, the demand of its sons and also at the same time put forward a framework agreed for a peaceful transfer of power through a responsible dialogue amongst all the forces of society and with all — with most degree of frankness and transparency.

I put forward this vision, committed to my responsibility to get the country out of this very difficult situation and I will carry on to win it, first one after the other, one hour after the other, and looking forward to the assistance of everyone who is eager for Egypt's safety and stability.

I put it forward to implement it.

And these plans would be implemented within reason by our armed forces.

We have, in fact, started a very constructive national dialogue that includes Egypt's youth, which have led, for a call for change and all the political forces.

This dialogue has resulted in the principled agreement in opinions and stances which has put us in the path, on the right path to get out of this crisis, and we should carry on this dialogue so that to get it from the framework into a real plan, A clear road plan, and within a precise and fixed timetable.

I face day after day a peaceful transition of power will start from now to next September.

This national dialogue has made over the formation of a constitutional commission to look into the required constitutional amendments and ad hoc legislative amendments.

It has also agreed for the formation of a commission which will follow up a sincere followup for what I have pledged before the people.

I was eager that the formation have both commissions should be made from Egyptian personalities worthy of … who have experience and trust.

Composed of leaders and experts.

On top of this, the number of martyrs that we have lost from the sons of Egypt during this sad event has actually hurt our hearts.

I have immediately expressed my … instructed people last week to carry out an inquiry and whose result should be put forward to the prosecutors so they can take the legal, the necessary legal actions.

Yesterday I received the first report regarding the constitutional priority, constitutional amendments, as proposed by the commission that I have set up composed of the judiciary and the legal experts to study legal and constitutional amendments as required.

And in response to the outcome of the commission's report and in accordance to the powers entrusted to the president of the republic are calling to clauses and I have asked for 88 Article and 93, and 89.

In addition to the consolation of 178 article.

This is stressing at the same time that other amendments will be implemented according to necessity and as needed.

These amendments to facilitate can be saved for the present elections and also to see to it that the holding of the elections should be free and transparent.

It is up to the judiciary to seek into the identities of the members of the parliaments and the conditions put forward for the elections.

As for the situation to council to abolish 168 article of the constitution, it needs the protection of the country from the dangers of terrorism and the guarantee of rights and freedoms, civil freedoms of the citizens, that will allow us to open the door to the lifting of the emergency law in accordance to the right circumstances and the prevalence of stability so that we can do that.

Citizens, the priority now is to recover trust between the Egyptian — amongst the Egyptians and to have trust and confidence in our economy and international reputation and the fact that the change that we have embarked on will carry on and there's no going back to the old days.

Egypt is going through difficult times and we cannot allow it to carry on.

The damage caused to our economy and it's on a daily basis, this damage is on a daily basis, will lead Egypt to situations that the youth who are calling for change and reform would be the first affected from the effects of the current situation.

The current time is not about me.

The situation is not about Hosni Mubarak, but the reality is now about Egypt, its present, the future of its sons, all Egyptians are in the same trench, therefore, we should continue our national dialogue That have already started in the spirit of groups but not enemies.

For Egypt to get over this situation and for us to recover the confidence in our economy and to give the citizens stability and peace and so that life can return to normal in the streets.

Like the youth of Egypt today, I was a young man as well when I joined the military and when I pledged loyalty to the nation and sacrificed to the nation. I spent my life defending Egypt's land and sovereignty.

I saw its wars, its defeats, and victories.

I lived days of occupation and frustration and days of liberation.

Those were the best days. The best day of my life is when I raised the flag of Egypt over the Sinai.

And when I flew planes.

There was no day when I was affected or I gave into foreign pressures.

I respect. I professed peace and I worked for Egypt's stability and peace and I worked for Egypt's progress and the progress of its people.

My aim was never to seek a force and take power.

I believe that the majority of Egyptian people know who is Hosni Mubarak and it pains me what has been expressed by some people from my own country.

Anyway, I am aware of the dangers facing us and out of my belief that Egypt is going through a very significant phase in its history. This compels all to put the interests of the nation first and put Egypt above any consideration.

I thought to transfer powers of the president to the vice-president according to the constitution. I am very well aware that Egypt will come through this crisis.

Its people will not be broken.

It will stand on its feet again … and Egypt's pride and its unique, significant, and eternal dignity.

It has been here for more than 7,000 years.

This spirit will live in us as long as Egypt and its people live, everybody, workers, farmers, intellectuals will have this spirit. This spirit will remain in the hearts of our elderly, youth, our muslims, copts, and even in the minds of those who have not been born yet.

Once again, I would like to say that I live for the sake of this nation.

To protect its responsibility and Egypt will prevail above anybody and everybody.