Mubarak ready to go; but fears chaos: Report

Cairo, Feb 3 (PTI) Egypt''s embattled President HosniMubarak today said he wants to leave office, but fears thatthe country would descend into chaos if he resigns.

The 82-year-old President who has been in power since1981 said he was "fed-up with being president and would liketo leave office now, but cannot, he says, for fear that thecountry would sink into chaos," Mubarak was quoted as sayingby ABC News.

Blaming the main opposition party Muslim Brotherhood forthe recent anti-government protest in the country, Mubaraksaid his government is not responsible for it.

"I am troubled by the violence we have seen inTahrir Square over the last few days but that his governmentis not responsible for it", ABC News reported quoting thePresident.

When asked about the violence that his supporterslaunched against the anti-government protestors inCairo''s Tahrir Square--the epicentre of anti-governmentdemonstrations, Mubarak said, "I was very unhappy aboutyesterday. I do not want to see Egyptians fighting eachother."

"I don''t care what people say about me. Right now I careabout my country, I care about Egypt," Mubarak said asviolence escalated on the 10th day of wave of protests acrossthe country.

The Egyptian President said he felt relief afterdelivering the speech on Monday when he said he would not runfor president again.

On the possibility of his son Gamal, who was once widelyconsidered to be his successor, Mubarak said it was neverhis intention to have his son follow him into office, ABCreported.

Pledging his loyalty to Egypt, he said, "I would neverrun away, I will die on this soil. Defending his legacy, herecounted the many years he has spent leading his country.

This was Mubarak''s first interview since anti-governmentprotests across Egypt began 10 days ago.