国际英语新闻：Egypt ruling party's executive committee resigns, Mubarak's position unconfirmed

CAIRO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) resigned Saturday, including President Hosni Mubarak's son Gamal Mubarak, according to state TV.

Al Arabiya TV reported that Mubarak resigned as chairman of the NDP on Saturday, but the reports have not been confirmed by party officials or state media.

Hossam Badrawy replaced both Safwat el Sherif and Gamal Mubarak as Secretary General and Policy Secretariat of the NDP, with President Hosni Mubarak still being the chairman, according the state TV.

Badrawy is a prominent physician and well known politician. He graduated from the School of Medicine at Cairo University in 1974 and has been part of the liberal wing of the NDP.

Without a position in the NDP leadership, Gamal Mubarak, who was regarded by some as heir of the president, would no longer qualify as the party's presidential candidate under the existing constitution.

The military, which is crucial to decide whether the embattled president to step down, has so far given no hint of its stance as the demonstration entered the 12th day.

Earlier on Saturday, Egyptian army commander Hassan al-Roweny went to the Tahrir, or Liberation, Square, in downtown Cairo to persuade thousands of protestors to stop the demonstration and keep the society from being more chaotic.

The senior officer said in a loud speaker that the crowd should go home and the army guaranteed the safety of protestors, a Xinhua reporter said. The address was responded with shouts from demonstrators.