Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood to Coordinate with Other Opposition Parties on Reform | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- The Muslim Brotherhood will not turn its back on other opposition parties in Egypt after its success at the polls, according to Dr. Issam al Aryan a prominent member.

Speaking to Asharq al Awsat, he sought to assuage the fears of opposition parties and indicated that the Brotherhood will continue its coordination to achieve reform.

At a meeting of the National Front, a coalition including 11 opposition parties and groups, where he represented the Brotherhood, al Aryan indicated, “We discussed together and how to set up a program to push for political reform in the upcoming period.”

He reaffirmed that the Brotherhood did not intend to form a government or take part in one “because we want this period to be a transition period and we want our representatives in parliament to work alongside opposition members and independents to press for reform.”

Commenting on the future of the Brotherhood and whether it would transform itself into a political party, al Aryan indicated the group’s next move would be based “on the principle of the freedom to establish political parties for all without condition and the annulment of the Political Parties Committee” which currently licenses new parties. Only then, he added, “will the Brotherhood form a political party, but we will never request a license from the Political Parties Committee.”

Although officially banned in 1954, the Muslim Brotherhood maintains a presence in the Egyptian parliament and its candidates run as independents.

“As for the future of the Brotherhood, it will continue to remain a general Islamic body far from politics which will have its own civil program open to everyone, Muslim or Copt, so long as they accept its program and membership conditions.”

“This experience currently exists in Jordan and Morocco and is not opposed to political life,” al Aryan said, adding that “there is no opposition between the political party and the dawaa mission (preaching).