Egyptian Opposition Turns Down Talks with President Morsi

An Anti Morsi protester with his arms tied with chains, looks on during a sit-in against the President Mohamed Morsi decree, in Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, 07 December 2012. EPA/BGNES

Egypt's National Rescue Front, a coalition of the country's largest liberal-democratic parties and movements, has officially rejected talks proposed by Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

Morsi addressed Egyptians on Thursday urging a national dialogue between all political forces, but on Friday the opposition said the president had not offered enough concessions.

Egypt has been in turmoil once again after these week's clashes between supporters and opponents of President Morsi, which claimed at least 6 lives.

Instead, Morsi's opponents said they would take to the capital's streets to protest the president's recently expanded powers, Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya reported.

Two other opposition groups said they would also boycott the talks, British broadcaster BBC reported, citing state media.

Morsi's November 22 constitutional declaration expanded his executive authority by barring the courts from challenging his decisions.

Egypt's highest judicial authority, the Supreme Judicial Council, earlier called Morsi's move "an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings."

Opposition groups have been rallying against the constitutional declaration and Morsi's decision to hold a nationwide referendum on the new Constitution on December 15, which they described as too hasty.

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