Egypt's Brotherhood rejects PM dialogue call

21/07/2013| IslamWeb

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has rejected an appeal for a return to dialogue between the country's political factions made by the interim prime minister, according to a spokesperson.

"Now I see we have to return to harmony. Divisions cannot last," Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in an interview with state television on Saturday, an address aimed at calming the political crisis that has gripped Egypt since president Mohamed Morsi was deposed more than two weeks ago.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has denounced his ousting as a military coup and has said it will not enter into any dialogue until he is restored to power.

The Brotherhood said Beblawi represents a government put in place by the military.

"There can be no dialogue when the gun barrels are pointing towards the anti-coup protesters," Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad said in response to Beblawi's comments.

Beblawi said the post he accepted was "a heavy burden, but it is an important mission, and I feel honored".

In a lengthy speech, he also spoke about Egypt's economic crisis, and the policies that may be adopted to combat it.

The interim PM, whose government is devoid of any Islamist representation, said that "harmony and reconciliation" were the need of the hour.

Egypt's caretaker president issued a charter last Monday outlining the timetable for the constitutional reforms, as well as fresh parliamentary and presidential elections due to be held early next year.

Shortly after it was announced, Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood rejected the temporary charter as a decree enforced by "putschists".

PHOTO CAPTION

Egyptian people carry the body of a victim killed by "thugs" on July 20, 2013 in the Nile delta city of Mansura.

Aljazeera