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Mubarak to Obama: I don’t take orders from you

(YnetNews) – The Egyptian newspaper Al Watan began publishing recordings of Mubarak on Wednesday, recorded at the prison where he is imprisoned while he awaits retrial.

According to the recordings, Mubarak told of the pressure US President Barack Obama exerted on him to relinquish his power during the beginning of the revolution and his initial refusal.

“Obama called me two or three times. Frankly, I did not want to answer his calls,” Mubarak said. “Finally I answered. He asked me, ‘What is your situation now?’ And before I answered he quickly said, ‘I think you need to give power to a group of politicians, including Mohamed Baradei.'”

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(Reuters/Jason Reed)

Mubarak had no choice and claims he replied, “‘Listen Obama, I understand the Egyptian people more than you, as you understand the American people more than me. I do not take orders from you, and not from anyone, as far as the people of Egypt are concerned. I get my instructions from the people in Egypt alone. If people do not want me, then I will leave immediately. My job is to warn the Egyptian people of the situation in which they find themselves.’ Thus ended the conversation.”

‘Rabin choose the path of peace’

In excerpts released yesterday, Mubarak also slammed the US and referred to Israel. “The only thing that interests the US is primarily to ensure the security of Israel. They always tried to pressure the Arabs with the same goal in mind,” he said.  

    “During my incumbency, I only visited Israel once, to pay my condolences upon the death of Rabin. That man chose the path of the peace process and gave us the Gaza Strip in complete form. This is why the Israelis killed him. When I went to pay my respects, they told me to stay. I refused and returned immediately to Cairo.”

 Mubarak said he refused the request of the Americans to establish a military base in his country and to control the FM frequency in Cairo.

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US President George W. Bush (3rd L) and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (3rd R) give statements as Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz (2nd L), Jordan’s King Abdullah II (L), Bahrain’s King Hamad (2nd R) and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (R) listen in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh June 3, 2003.  

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