Egypt's FJP keen on dialogue

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CAIRO, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Egyptian national interests should prevail over partisan and personal viewpoints, the secretary-general of the Muslim Brotherhood's political party said.

Egyptian opposition groups initially shrugged off calls from President Mohamed Morsi to have a national dialogue. Hussein Ibrahim, secretary-general of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said Islamist politicians were interested in broad-based talks, however.

"We really need to give priority to the interests of the country over intellectual and partisan agendas and narrow personal interests," he was quoted on the party's website as saying. "Politicians and party leaders have to compete to offer programs to rebuild Egypt that can positively change the living conditions of citizens."

Morsi hails from the Muslim Brotherhood. His election in June sparked concerns over the role that Islam has on post-revolutionary politics in Egypt.

Morsi declared a state of emergency in parts of Egypt last week. Frustration boiled over, leading to deadly protests as the country marked the second anniversary of an uprising that unseated longtime President Hosni Mubarak.

Egyptian leaders next month start preparations for parliamentary elections.

"Is it coincidence, though, that the repeated waves of spiraling violence and attempts to spread chaos and lawlessness precede each election event, where the ballot box is the arbitrator?" Ibrahim asked.