BBC Online :
Egypt’s military has denied that its chief of staff, Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, told a Kuwaiti newspaper he would run for president.
Spokesman Col Ahmed Ali said the report published by al-Siyasah on Wednesday evening was not accurate and had been a misinterpretation of his words.
The newspaper quoted him as saying he could “not reject the demand” of the people that he should stand.
The field marshal led the overthrow of President Mohammed Mursi in July.
According to the new constitution, an election must take place by mid-April. Correspondents say Field Marshal Sisi would be likely to win, given his popularity and the lack of any serious rivals.
The field marshal has been widely expected to resign and declare a presidential bid since last week, when the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) gave its public support.
Following demonstrations at which tens of thousands of people urged him to stand, it said the “choice of the people” had to be heeded.
Correspondents say it therefore came as no surprise when al-Siyasah quoted Field Marshal Sisi as saying he had no alternative but to accept the wishes of the people and would “present this” to them.
However, on Thursday the official Facebook page of the military’s spokesman carried a statement saying: “What was published by the Kuwaiti al-Siyasah newspaper are mere journalistic presumptions rather than direct statements made by Field Marshal Sisi.
“It carried inaccurate expressions and phrases especially after they were circulated in the different media outlets.”
The statement added that the field marshal’s “decision to run for president is a personal one that he will announce by himself to the great Egyptian people and no-one else. It will be done via clear and direct statements that cannot be doubted or misinterpreted”.
The 59-year-old former military intelligence chief was appointed head of the armed forces and defence minister by Mursi in August 2012.
