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Barack Obama and Hosni Mubarak had phone conversation

29 January 2011 09:19 (UTC +04:00)

In his statement delivered in the White House on Friday, Obama first repeated his call on Egyptian authorities to keep their promise of reforms. "When President Mubarak addressed the Egyptian people tonight, he pledged a better democracy and greater economic opportunity. I just spoke to him after his speech, and told him to give meaning to those words to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise," he said. President Obama said what is needed now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people, a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens, and a path of political change leading to a future of greater freedom opportunity and justice.

White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said they are watching a situation that obviously changes day to day and will continue to watch and make preparations for a whole host of scenarios. He also suggested contingency plans had been made for the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, should that become necessary. Asked about Mohamed El-Baradei, a leading opposition figure who has been placed under house arrest, Gibbs said, "This is an individual who is a Nobel laureate" and has worked with Obama. "These are the type of actions that the government has a responsibility to change."
Speaking as street demonstrations rocked Egypt’s capital despite a curfew, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, urged calm on both sides. She said the government must investigate and prosecute any allegations of brutality by security forces. She also called on Egypt to restore access to the internet and social media sites that have been blocked. Clinton said that reform "is absolutely critical to the well-being of Egypt" and urged Mubarak and his government to "engage immediately" with opposition groups and others to make broad economic, political and social changes.