ElBaradei could run for president

2011-02-04 20:36

Cairo/Vienna - Nobel Peace Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei said on Friday he could run in Egypt's presidential elections if the Egyptian people asked him to, denying a report in an Austrian newspaper that he would not run.

"This is not true," ElBaradei said in a phone interview with Al Jazeera. "If the Egyptian people want me to continue the change process, I will not disappoint the Egyptian people."

ElBaradei has tended to answer the question of whether he wants to run for president, often asked of him, by saying he was ready for a role in helping Egypt achieve political change. He has also said he would consider running if there was a prospect of a free and fair election.

ElBaradei was also quoted by Austria's Der Standard newspaper as saying President Hosni Mubarak should step down immediately, but that he should be able to do so with "dignity".

"No, I will not take part. The best I can do is act as an agent for change," the paper had quoted him as saying, when asked whether he would stand in presidential elections.

"Naturally I want to play a part in the future, but who stands in the election, that's really not so important at the moment."

- Reuters