CAIRO: The Reform and Development Party (RDP), yet to be officially recognized, called for an open dialogue between the Muslim Brotherhood and the regime without interference from the Ministry of Interior.
In an official statement, the party’s deputy founder independent MP Anwar Esmat Al-Sadat said the call was prompted by the recent government crackdown on the group, which saw the detainment of Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, secretary general of the Arab Doctors’ Union.
The RDP and other political parties claim that the crackdown is affecting the general public’s morale, “who regardless of their views on the group, reject the idea of political detainment that negatively affects Egypt’s image and discourages people from engaging in political activities, according to the statement.
The RDP is calling for dialogue because “the situation has reached a very sensitive stage, the statement read.
The group also called for an open dialogue between the Egyptian presidency and Coptic organizations abroad, which have been conducting conferences in different parts of the world to protest political and security handling of Coptic issues in Egypt.
This, the statement continued, is “bad publicity for Egypt, especially during the current global finainical crisis “that needs all Egyptians to work together to enhance Egypt’s economy.
While Mahmoud Ezzat, the Brotherhood’s secretary general, welcomed the idea of dialogue between the group and the government, he remained pessimistic about the outcome.
“Anyone [following the government’s attitude] with us [the Brotherhood] knows what the outcome will be, Ezzat told Daily News Egypt.
Ezzat said that while the group welcomes talks with any governmental body, the decision is ultimately the government’s, who will decide whether such meetings are possible.
In his statement, Al-Sadat called on President Hosni Mubarak to take “a serious step with the Brotherhood, citing Mubarak’s efforts in initiating peace talks among Palestinian groups and adopting similar initiatives in Somalia.
