Article Posted on : - Feb 01, 2011

CAIRO (PTI): Egypt's powerful military has promised it would not fire on anti-government protesters making "legitimate" demands, indicating that its support to President Hosni Mubarak may be fading ahead of what could be the largest demonstration yet dubbed as a "march of a million."

In a fresh bid to defuse the crisis, an embattled Mubarak, 82, offered to open "immediate talks" with opposition groups as pressure mounted on him to quit.

The offer came as tens of thousands of Egyptians started converging at the Tahrir Square - the hub of demonstrations against Mubarak's 30-year autocratic rule in the heart of Cairo - for their 'million man march' today to force Mubarak to step down.

"President Hosni Mubarak has tasked me with opening immediate talks with the political forces to begin a dialogue around all the issues concerning constitutional and legislative reforms," newly appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman said on state television.

Suleiman also said the government would move to "deal as soon as possible with the priorities of fighting unemployment, poverty, corruption and reach the required balance between wages and prices."

Amid heavy presence of military and armoured vehicles on the streets in downtown Cairo, protesters waving placards reading 'down with Mubarak', 'Mubarak's game is over' spilled on the Tahrir Square.

Identity cards of protesters were scrutinised by the army personnel before letting them into the square.

Sensing strong public sentiments, the military made it clear that it would not crush today's mass anti-government protests and said the protesters demands were "legitimate."

"To the great people of Egypt, your armed forces, acknowledging the legitimate rights of the people ... have not and will not use force against the Egyptian people," the military said in a statement on state TV

"Your armed forces, who are aware of the legitimacy of your demands and are keen to assume their responsibility in protecting the nation and the citizens, affirms that freedom of expression through peaceful means is guaranteed to everybody," the army statement said.

Facing the first serious challenge to his rule, Mubarak has been hoping for the military backing to stem the tide against him.

In a desperate move to cling to power, Mubarak last night sacked his much-hated interior minister in a revamped Cabinet and appointed a new intelligence chief to mollify opposition groups, but the protesters remained unmoved and stated that they would accept nothing less than his departure.