Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Proposes EU-Facilitated Talks On Crisis

A man holds a portrait of ousted President Muhammad Morsi as thousands of his supporters demonstrate for his reinstatement close to the cabinet headquarters in Cairo on July 17.

The Muslim Brotherhood says it has proposed a framework for European Union-facilitated talks to resolve Egypt's political crisis.

The proposal by the Islamist movement is the group's first formal offer for negotiations since Islamist President Muhammad Morsi was toppled on July 3 by Egypt's army.

Muslim Brotherhood official Gehad el-Haddad told Reuters in an exclusive interview that the proposal was made to EU envoy Bernardino Leon before a visit on July 17 to Cairo by EU foreign-affairs chief Catherine Ashton.

Haddad said the proposal was still in its early stages. He described it as only a "framework" for opening a channel of dialogue.

He also insisted on the Muslim Brotherhood's firm demand that the ouster of Morsi be reversed.

Based on reporting by Reuters