Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak tonight said he would not run for another term after hundreds of thousands of people rallied against his regime in Cairo's Tahrir Square in the culmination of a weeklong uprising.

Mr Mubarak said his 30-year rule will end with presidential elections that are due in September, in a statement on state television.

He said he hadn't intended to run for another term and will stay on until the ballot to ensure "stability," adding that laws on the eligibility of candidates and presidential term limits will be revised before the vote.

The country "faces a choice between chaos and stability," Mr Mubarak said. He had previously declined to say whether he would stand again.