Mursi Urges Dialogue as Egypt’s Tension Mounts

Local Editor

Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi repeated Saturday a call for dialogue with the opposition in an attempt to mitigate deep political divisions ahead of planned rallies later this month calling for his resignation.

"I have said it before. I urge everyone to sit together to discuss what would achieve the interests of our nation," Mursi said in an interview published in the state-owned Akhbar al-Youm newspaper
The interview comes a day after tens of thousands of Mursi supporters massed in Cairo in a show of strength ahead of opposition protests planned for June 30.

Egypt is deeply polarized. Mursi's supporters say he is clearing institutions of decades of corruption but his critics accuse him of concentrating power in the hands of his Muslim Brotherhood movement.
Since taking office a year ago, Mursi has squared off with the judiciary, media, police and most recently artists.
There is much anticipation and anxiety ahead of the June 30 protests, with fears of violence and instability.

But Mursi says there is still room to resolve differences off the streets.
He said he would consider bringing forward parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place later this year, although no date has yet been set.
"I will continue in my pursuit for contact, and I may speed up parliamentary elections as a way of involving everyone in an agreed method to manage our differences," Mursi said.

He further viewed that the call for protest on June 30 reflects the atmosphere of freedom granted to us by the revolution.
Moreover, the Egyptian President appealed for calm and accused those who benefited from the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak of inciting instability.
"They want to bring back the past because the revolution harmed their interests. People must stop their evil plans because they do not want calm and stability for Egypt," Mursi said.

The tone reflects a view taken by his supporters who accuse the opposition of being remnants of the Mubarak regime and of being counter-revolutionary.
Mursi's critics say he has betrayed the revolution that brought him to power and has failed to achieve any of its goals.

Political divisions have also spilled onto the streets in violent and sometimes deadly confrontations.

A campaign dubbed Tamarod [rebellion in Arabic] called the June 30 rally to coincide with the first anniversary of Mursi becoming president.

Tamarod organizers said they have collected 15 million signatures demanding that Mursi quit, leaving the government jittery and energizing the fragmented opposition.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team