Egypt's Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, called Thursday for a national dialogue after deadly clashes around his palace, where demonstrators responded by demanding the "downfall of the regime," using the chants that brought down former president Hosni Mubarak.
Morsi said in a televised speech that plans for a referendum on a new constitution on Dec. 15 were on track, proposing a meeting on Saturday with political leaders, "revolutionary youth" and legal figures to discuss the way forward after that.
The Republican Guard intervened Thursday to halt violence outside the palace, where seven people were killed overnight in clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi.
Members of the main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, said they were assessing the offer of talks to end a crisis sparked by Morsi's Nov. 22 decree awarding himself wide powers.
The opposition has previously demanded that Morsi scrap his decree, postpone the referendum and redraft the constitution.
Thousands of opposition protesters near the palace waved shoes in derision after his speech and shouted "Killer, killer!"
