(MENAFN- Jordan Times) The Muslim Brotherhood moved on Tuesday to reject recent attempts by public officials to reopen a dialogue over its stance on upcoming elections, vowing to "hold firm" in its poll boycott.
During a gathering of the so-called Higher Council for Reform - a pairing of the executive offices of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front - the Islamist movement turned down mediation attempts by public officials to talk the country's largest opposition group into participating in the polls, slated for later this year.
In a non-binding decision, the Islamist movement unanimously agreed to reject "any and all talks" with government officials over its participation in the absence of "true guarantees for reform".
"We have made it clear from the beginning that we will not take part in elections held under the one-person, one-vote system and without wider constitutional reform guaranteeing parliamentary governments," Zaki Bani Rsheid, Muslim Brotherhood deputy leader, told The Jordan Times.
"It will take concrete action, not empty promises to make us change our minds."
Tuesday's decision came in response to the attempts of several serving and former public officials in recent weeks to convince the Brotherhood to reconsider its election boycott.
According to Islamists and officials, a line of public figures have approached Brotherhood leaders to "reopen" channels of dialogue, including Senate President Taher Masri, current MP and former prime minister Faisal Fayez and former Royal Court chief Jawad Anani.
According to those close to the proceedings, the contacts were merely "overtures" to encourage the Brotherhood's participation and did not represent any formal "negotiations" over their reform demands.
Meanwhile, the Islamist movement vowed to go ahead with a planned 50,000-person rally next month in what would mark the group's largest show of force since the launch of the Arab Spring.
During Tuesday's meeting, Brotherhood officials reiterated that they will go through with a so-called "Friday of National Salvation", a massive rally set for October 5 in the Hai Nazzal neighbourhood in southwest Amman, expected to feature the participation of over 40 protest groups and political parties.
In July, the Muslim Brotherhood moved to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections following the passage of an elections law which it claims fails to abandon a controversial one-person, one-vote electoral system.
The movement has also listed constitutional reform demands to guarantee parliamentary governments and protect the Lower House against dissolution among its preconditions for participation.
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