CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has said he will not seek to change the constitutional limit of two four-year presidential terms, thus ruling out a third presidential term for himself.
Sisi made the pledge at an interview with U.S. television network CNBC aired late Monday.
Sisi, a former army chief who ousted his Islamist predecessor Mohammed Morsi in 2013 and was elected president a year later, said the 2018 presidential elections will be held in March or April as scheduled.
"I am with preserving two presidential terms, four years each, and I do not support changing this system. We have a new constitution now and I am not for any constitutional amendment in this period," Sisi said.
Sisi's remarks came amid calls of some parliament members to amend the constitution to change the eight-year limit of presidential terms in his favor.
Sisi has not officially announced intention to run for a second presidential term, but he is widely expected to do so and to earn a landside victory due to the absence of real challengers in the presidential bid.
Some lawmakers and independent figures have also launched nationwide petition campaigns to urge Sisi to run again for president, saying they garnered so far some 3 million signatures to support Sisi's second presidential run.
"The constitution gives the parliament and the president the right to seek amendments, but here I am not talking about the presidential terms, for we will not interfere in that. Therefore, no president can remain in power for more than the terms allowed in the constitution and the law," Sisi said.
"It does not suit me as a president to stay one more day against the will of the Egyptians. This is not talk for TV, those are principles I embrace and am keen on," he added.
Meanwhile, Egyptian rights and opposition lawyer Khaled Ali announced Monday evening his intention to run for president in the 2018 elections.
Ali was handed a suspended three-month jail term earlier in September due to a case related to an obscene hand gesture he reportedly made after winning court order challenging the government.
Although he has already appealed the verdict, there is still possibility for his disqualification as a presidential candidate.
