Egypt: Govt holds talks with Opposition

Cairo: Egypt's opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, today met Vice President Omar Suleiman to press their "legitimate demands", even as central Cairo remains flooded with demonstrators who observed 'Day of Martyrs' to honour those killed in the anti-government unrest.

The landmark talks aimed at bringing calm and an end to the 13-day old protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule came a day after the top leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party resigned en masse.

The top executive of the NDP, which includes Mubarak's son Gamal Mubarak who is head of the powerful policies committee, resigned from the party. According to the Brotherhood's website, group's senior leaders began the talks, demanding an immediate elimination of Emergency Law and guarantees for peaceful protests.

"We are starting a round of talks to know how serious they are about responding to the demands of the people," said Brotherhood spokesman Gamal Abul Nasser.

Brotherhood, which is officially banned in Egypt but enjoys popular support, said it would drop out if demands expressed by the protesters that President Mubarak must step down is not met.

The talks are backed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said the government's dialogue with the opposition must be given time. Meanwhile, the demonstrators rejected the shuffle in NDP as a cosmetic move as they managed to keep their position in the Tahrir Square - the hub of anti-regime protests in

central Cairo - despite a heavy army presence and attacks by pro-government supporters.

The Egyptian president has remained defiant, refusing to step down immediately, as per the protesters' demands. The protesters described Sunday as "Day of Martyrs", to honour those killed in the protests. They have called for

fresh multi-million-strong marches on Tuesday and Friday.

The Egyptian army has tightened security around the square and prevented food from reaching protesters. At least 300 people are believed to have been killed

and thousands injured since the protests began on January 25,according to the UN high commissioner for human rights. Meanwhile, Hossam Badrawi has been named as the new secretary-general of the NDP, replacing Safwat El-Sherif, a

Mubarak loyalist.

Stepping up diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Egypt, US President Barack Obama has spoken to several world leaders about the unrest in the Arab state, emphasising the need for a quick beginning of an "orderly peaceful

transition" there.

Obama, who is closely monitoring the situation in Egypt, spoke to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the UAE, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on phone, the White House said. "The President discussed his serious concern about the targeting of journalists and human rights groups, and reaffirmed that the government of Egypt has a responsibility to protect the rights of its people and to release immediately

those who have been unjustly detained," it said.

Obama emphasised the importance of "an orderly, peaceful transition, beginning now, to a government that is responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people,including credible, inclusive negotiations between the government and the opposition," it said, adding that the leaders agreed to stay in close contact.

Separately, Vice President Joe Biden called his new Egyptian counterpart Suleiman to stress the need for "immediate steps" which demonstrate the Egyptian government's commitment to reforms, the White House said. However, the protesters vowed not to back down on their demand for Mubarak's immediate ouster. "We have to be steady to topple the government," Ahmed Abdel Moneim, a

22-year-old student who has been sleeping in the Square for days, was quoted as saying by the channel. "If we have to spend our life (like this) to get rid of Mubarak, we will."

Badrawi, seen by many as a liberal, will also replace Gamal Mubarak as head of the party's policies bureau. Other new appointees include: Mohamed Ragah Ahmed,

Mohamed Ahmed Abd El-Illah, Maged Mahmoud Younes El-Shirbiny, Mohamed Ahmed Abd El-Salam Hebah and Dr Mohamed Mostafa Kamal,Al Jazeera channel reported.