Egypt presidency: Mursi decrees "temporary", wants talks

Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi speaks to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo November 23, 2012.

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Egyptian presidency said on Sunday it was committed to engaging "all political forces" to reach common ground on the constitution and stressed the "temporary nature" of a decree expanding President Mohamed Mursi's powers.

"This declaration is deemed necessary in order to hold accountable those responsible for the corruption as well as other crimes during the previous regime and the transitional period," the presidency said in a statement.

Facing a storm of protest from judges and political opponents who accuse Mursi of turning into a new dictator, the presidency said the decree was "not meant to concentrate powers", but to devolve them. It aimed to avoid the politicisation of the judiciary, the statement said.

It also aimed to "abort any attempt" to dissolve either the body writing Egypt's constitution or the upper house of parliament, both of them dominated by Islamists allied to Mursi, the statement added.

"The presidency stresses its firm commitment to engage all political forces in the inclusive democratic dialogue to reach a common ground and bridge the gap in order to reach a national consensus on the constitution," it added.

(Reporting by Marwa Awad; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alison Williams)