Anti-coup alliance in Egypt will not talk with coup leaders

A senior leader of the National Alliance against the Coup in Egypt has said that its dialogue proposal does not include “coup leaders” and “those who have blood on their hands,” Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported on Sunday. “We have not extended the dialogue invitation to the coup government because it was chosen by a leadership of a military coup and refused to respect constitutional legitimacy,” said former minister Mohamed Ali Beshr.

“Our hands are only extended to political parties, revolutionaries and national figures,” he added. On Saturday, the coalition called for dialogue to propose an end to military rule and the preservation of Egypt’s unity.

In order to agree on future measures to establish a modern and democratic state, the coalition called for an end to military rule and welcomed all serious efforts to resolve Egypt’s miserable political crisis. “There will, however, be no compromise on the rights of the martyrs and the wounded.”

The coup leadership has turned against legitimacy, ousted the elected president and overturned the constitution, insisted Beshr. “Sadly, this has been supported by the judiciary.”

The Muslim Brotherhood leader reiterated his respect for Al-Azhar, the highest seat of religious learning in the Sunni Muslim world. “Nevertheless, we disagree with the Al-Azhar Shaikh [Ahmed al-Tayeb] who supported the military coup.”

Pointing out that the coalition is much more than just the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters, former International Planning and Cooperation Minister Omar Darraj, described the proposal as a “strategic vision”. The coalition, said Darraj, will not give up on its calls for the reinstatement of President Morsi, the constitution and the Shura Council.

Meanwhile, a government official announced its refusal to open a dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood unless the Islamic movement recognises the outcomes of what the coup leaders call the “July 3 revolution”.