Consequences of Mubarak speech unclear says Britain's Hague

Not clear what powers Egyptian leader Mubarak is handing over to his deputy says Britain's Foreign Minister WIlliam Hague.Uncertainty remains over the full implications of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's speach, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Thursday (February 10).

In his televised address to the nation Mubarak said that he was not stepping down, although he transferred power to his vice president.

Hague said it was not immediately clear what powers were being handed over.

Hague also called for an orderly transition of power and for the Egyptian authorities to protect the people's right to peaceful protest.

"We're studying very closely what the President and the Vice-President of Egypt have said. It is not immediately clear what powers are being handed over and what the full implications are. We think the solution to this has to be owned by the Egyptian people themselves.

"All we want in the United Kingdom is for them to be able to settle their own differences in a peaceful and democratic way. And, that's why we've called from the beginning of this crisis for an urgent but orderly transition to a more broadly based government in Egypt, and in the mean time, we look to the Egyptian authorities to protect the right to peaceful protest," said Hague.