Mubarak could flee Egypt to German health spa

Like many an elderly, deposed dictator, before him could Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak be destined to see out his last days in the surroundings of a luxurious European health spa? That is the scenario raised by German paper Der Spiegel, which suggests that the 82-year-old could take advantage of an exit strategy involving a stay at a hospital near the German spa town of Baden-Baden.
 
A US-endorsed plan to try and quell the chaos in Egypt apparently involves Mubarak heading to Europe for what is euphemistically known as a "prolonged health check" while vice president, Omar Suleiman, takes over in an interim capacity ahead of elections later in the year.
 
It is hoped that such a plan would allow order to be restored and normal life to resume before reforms are introduced in an orderly and peaceful manner.
 
Top of the list of facilities where the Egyptian leader could stay is apparently the Max Grundig Klinik near Buhl in the Black Forest, which, according to its own website, "offers unparalleled surroundings and the ambience of a luxury hotel".
 
The facility, which was founded as a convalescent home over 100 years ago, is well used to catering for senior politicians. It counts Vickor Yushchenko, the former president of Ukraine, and one-time Russian economics minister German Gref among its former patients.
 
However, it may take some doing to convince Mubarak, who is currently holed up in his villa at Sharm el-Sheikh, to swap the Red Sea for the Black Forest. He previously vowed not to go into exile and to die on Egyptian soil.
 
Whether the prospect of that happening sooner rather than later, and under rather less pleasant circumstances than he anticipated, may persuade him to quit the country remains to be seen.

Mubarak, 82, is not unfamiliar with luxury German healthcare facilities. Last year he had his gallbladder and an intestinal polyp taken out at the Heidelberg University Clinic, although doctors were swift to quash rumours that he was suffering from cancer.
 
Members of Angela Merkel's ruling coalition in Germany have said they were amenable to the idea of Mubarak taking up residence at one of their health spas provided it contributes to a "peaceful transition" of power.
 
However Cem Ozdemir, co-leader of the country's Green Party, told the Hannoversche Allgemeine newspaper: "Germany cannot become a luxurious sanctuary for deposed despots." ·