Opposition rejects Morsy’s call for dialogue

Egyptian opposition leaders have again rejected President Mohamed Morsy’s invitation to national dialogue, insisting the calls were insincere and demanding their own preconditions be met first. “This call for dialogue is for show, it is not serious. We have presented certain conditions for any serious dialogue and if they remain unmet we will not go to dialogue just to pose for the camera,” said National Salvation Front (NSF) leader Mohamed ElBaradei. He added that Egypt was currently facing many problems like the economy, poor security situation and political instability. “We have already presented our demands such as a new national unity government to address these problems, the dissolving of the Shura Council and amending the flawed constitution,” ElBaradei added. Popular Current leader Hamdeen Sabahy called on Morsy to admit full responsibility for the deaths of at least 40 people since Friday. The president must clearly state he respects the demands of Egyptians and their protesting, Sabahy added. “We reject all forms of violence, but a distinction should be made between the street’s violence, which is due to the lack of a political situation and the Ministry of Interior’s violence which has been unprecedented,” the third placed presidential runner up added. The Minister of Interior must be dismissed and put on trial, Sabahy added. “The National Salvation Front is preparing a comprehensive plan for Egypt that tackles the economy, political and security situations,” said former Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. The Front said it rejects what it called Morsy’s threats. “The last person who threatened us was [former President Hosni] Mubarak,” said lawyers’ syndicate chairman Sameh Ashour. “There can be no dialogue while Egyptians are being killed, injured and arrested at the hands of the regime,” the NSF said in a statement. Finally, the opposition bloc reiterated its calls for protests next Friday if its demands remain unmet. “We will call for the revocation of the constitution and a return to the modified 1971 one as well as early presidential elections if the president does not respond to our demands.”