ElBaradei would seek Egypt's presidency

CAIRO, March 10 (UPI) -- Mohamed ElBaradei, the former leader of the U.N. nuclear agency, said he intends to run for president of Egypt, outlining conditions under which he would run.

ElBaradei, a leading figure in the uprising that led to the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, said he would seek the office only if a real democratic system were put into place, The New York Times reported.

"When the door for presidential nominations opens, I intend to nominate myself," ElBaradei said on the Egyptian satellite channel ON TV.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also criticized as superficial reforms military leaders were proposing and he appealed to the military to scrap them or to delay the March 19 referendum on the reforms.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said fighting between Muslims and Coptic Christians in a Cairo suburb Tuesday night into Wednesday killed 13 people and wounded 140. The clashes broke out during a protest by Christians over the burning of a church in the village of Soul.

The Times also reported men -- including Egypt's armed forces -- attacked, beat and chased hundreds of protesters out of Tahrir Square in central Cairo. Egypt's armed forces had promised not to use force against demonstrators.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which was put in charge by Mubarak when he resigned in February, has said it intends to transfer power to an elected government by the end of the summer.