Main Egypt opposition group rejects dialogue with Morsi

         
Egypt's main opposition coalition said on Friday it would not take part in a dialogue proposed by President Mohamed Morsi to end a crisis sparked by the Islamist leader's decision to expand his powers, a senior member of the group said.
   
"The National Salvation Front is not taking part in the dialogue, that is the official stance," said Ahmed Said, one of the leading members of the coalition who also heads the liberal Free Egyptians Party.
   
Prominent reformist Mohamed El-Baradei had also urged political forces to shun dialogue on his Twitter account and the state news agency reported that the liberal Wafd party said it would not take part. Both are members of the Front.

"We have decided to meet this afternoon and discuss the whole issue and the proposal and speech by the president. We want a collective stand on that," Amr Moussa, a presidential candidate and former Arab League chief, told Reuters, adding the precise time had yet to be finalized.
   
Among the demands of the liberal leaning Front, Moussa said the opposition coalition believed a referendum on a draft constitution, rushed through by an Islamist-dominated assembly, should be delayed from Dec. 15.      

For his part, Pr. Mohammad Morsi said in a televised speech late on Thursday that plans were on track for a referendum on a new constitution on Dec. 15 despite clashes that killed seven people.               

He proposed a meeting on Saturday with political leaders, "revolutionary youth" and legal figures to discuss the way forward after that.                                         

But a leading activist group rejected the offer, and fresh demonstrations were called for Friday.                  

The "April 6" movement, which played a prominent role in igniting the revolt against Moubarak said on its Facebook page that Friday's protests would deliver a "red card" to Morsi.                           

POSITIONS:                              

U.S. President Barack Obama called Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday to express his "deep concern" about the deaths and injuries of protesters in Egypt and said dialogue between opposing sides should be held without preconditions, the White House said.                     

"The president emphasized that all political leaders in Egypt should make clear to their supporters that violence is unacceptable," the White House said in a statement.                                     

"He welcomed President Morsi's call for a dialogue with the opposition, but stressed that such a dialogue should occur without preconditions.                             

The president noted that the United States has also urged opposition leaders to join in this dialogue without preconditions."


REUTERS