WORLD REACTS AS MUBARAK STEPS DOWN

GLOBAL LEADERS HAIL "HISTORIC CHANGE"

AND "VICTORY" IN EGYPT,

BUT OBAMA WARNS OF DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD.

O'bama looks a little serious perhaps because he has seen now, the power of a united people in action to bring about change...

World leaders have welcomed the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's president hailing it as a "historic change" and victory for protesters.

Barack Obama, the US president, said the move was the beginning, not the end, of the transition to democracy in Egypt.

"The people of Egypt have spoken ~ their voices have been heard and Egypt will never be the same," he said on Friday evening.

He said the people would settle for nothing less than "genuine democracy" and called on the military to ensure a credible political transition.

The US leader added that Egyptians had inspired the world with their moral force and nonviolence, but warned there could be "difficult days ahead".

Earlier, Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said it showed Mubarak had "listened the voices of the Egyptian people" and opened the way to reform in the country.

"It is important now that the dialogue is accelerated leading to a broad-based government which will respect the aspirations of, and deliver stability for, the Egyptian people," she said just after Egypt's vice-president delivered the news on Friday. "The future of Egypt rightly remains in the hands of the Egyptian people," she said.

Barack Obama, the US president, is due to make a statement on the development later on Friday.

The White House said Obama watched the television coverage of history unfolding outside a meeting at the Oval Office.

A day earlier, the US leader had said Cairo "must spell out a clear path to democracy".

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, hailed Mubarak's decision as an "historic change", and called on the country to respect its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

Her sentiments were echoed by a senior Israeli official, who said: "We hope that the change to democracy in Egypt will happen without violence and that the peace accord will remain."

David Cameron, Britain's prime minister, also urged Egypt to "move towards civilian and democratic rule".

"Egypt now has a really precious moment of opportunity to have a government that can bring the country together," he said.

Meanwhile Switzerland reacted by saying it was freezing the assets potentially belonging to Mubarak, according to a foreign ministry spokesman.

'LESSON' FOR ARAB NATIONS

The Arab world was quick to respond to Mubarak's resignation, with Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, saying there was now a "big chance" to build a "national censensus" in the coming period.

"There is a big chance now and a window has opened after this white revolution and after the president's concession," he told Al Arabiya television.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan said events in Egypt were historic. Jamil Abu Baker, spokesman for the movement, told the AFP news agency.
said these events were a

"lesson" for other Arab governments..Arab regimes should learn a lesson from what has happened. Mubarak's departure should have happened from the start. It's only natural after his oppression and corruption. Congratulations to our people in Egypt."

In Gaza jubilant scenes followed the announcement, with Palestinians setting off fireworks into the evening sky.

Sami Abu Zuhri, A Hamas spokesman, said.

"The resignation of Egyptian president ... is the beginning of the victory of the Egyptian revolution. Such a victory was the result of the sacrifices and the steadfastness of the Egyptian people," he told the Reuters news agency.

The Emir's royal council in Qatar also said Mubarak's resignation was a

"positive, important step towards the Egyptian people's aspirations of achieving democracy and reform and a life of dignity".

'WHERE TO GO NEXT'

Iran said Egyptians had achieved a

"great victory. The conquest by the will of the great Egyptian nation over the resistance and persistence of officials who were dependent on the world powers is a great victory," Ramin Mehmanparast told Al-Alam television.

However analysts have remained cautious despite the scenes of jubilation across Egypt.

"Huge questions remain as to where we go next, and it could be a tortuous path," Julien Barnes-Dacey, a middle-east analyst told the Reuters news agency. "There must be serious questions over how acceptable Suleiman will be given his support for Mubarak. I think he has to come up with sessions very quickly for very comprehensive reform.

"There will be a feeling of jubilation on the streets in the very short term, but I think if they do not seek change protests could still continue."

But in Egypt, opposition figurehead Mohamed ElBaradei said it was the "greatest day" of his life following the announcement. "The country has been liberated".