Egypt's government talks with opposition exclude Muslim Brothers

The minister of the People's Assembly and the Shoura council and the assistant secretary general of the ruling democratic national party Kamal al-Chazli said yesterday that the dialogue currently ongoing between the government and the opposition on political reform rules out the Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Muslim Brothers) group because it is not a legitimate party.

He added "dialogue is underway between parties.. and no one other than parties." He continued "we have started dialogue with heads of parties, and we will continue dialogue with them on the ground of being our partners."

The dialogue started on Wednesday in a meeting with the secretary general of the party Safwat al-Sharif and al-Chazli with the chairman of the Leftist Unionist Progressive National Coalition Khaled, Mohey Eddine, and its secretary general Refaat al-Saeed.

Al-Saeed said that an invitation will not be extended to Muslim Brothers to attend the national dialogue conference. He added "Their attendance is categorically rejected. Muslim Brothers is an illegal organization and it is not reasonable that a ruling party to hold a meeting with an illegal party.. Independents will not also be attending."

However, the secretary general of the Naserite democratic Arab Party, Ahmad Hassan, considered that if "the invitation is limited to legal parties, the dialogue will be incomplete." For his part, the general guide for Muslim Brothers Ma'moun al-Hudeibi said on Wednesday "we were excluded from a previous similar dialogue called upon by President Mubarak ten years ago and the result was the failure of the dialogue."