FLASH: Egypt's PM urges calm to "give a chance to efforts now under way" to start a national dialogue - statement

Military halts clashes as political crisis grips Egypt by Marwa Awad and Edmund Blair

(Reuters) - Egypt's Republican Guard restored order around the presidential palace on Thursday after fierce overnight clashes killed seven people, but passions ran high in a struggle over the country's future.

The Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, criticized by his opponents for his silence in the last few days, was due to address the nation later in the day, state television said.

Hundreds of his supporters who had camped out near the palace overnight withdrew before a mid-afternoon deadline set by the Republican Guard. Dozens of Mursi's foes remained, but were kept away by a barbed wire barricade guarded by tanks.

The military played a big role in removing President Hosni Mubarak during last year's popular revolt, taking over to manage a transitional period, but had stayed out of the latest crisis.

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Egypt president meets army chief, officials over crisis

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi met the army chief and cabinet ministers on Thursday to discuss how to stabilize the nation after clashes between his supporters and opponents outside the presidential palace, the presidency said in a statement.

Mursi met General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is the head of the military and defense minister, as well as the prime minister, interior and justice ministers, and others.

They discussed "means to deal with the situation on different political, security and legal levels to stabilize Egypt and protect the gains of the revolution", according to the statement issued on Mursi's official website.

(Reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Egypt must protect peaceful protesters - Pillay

GENEVA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Egypt's government must protect peaceful protesters and prosecute anyone inciting violence, including government members, U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay said on Thursday.

"People have the right to protest peacefully and they have the right not to be killed or injured for doing so. The current government came to power on the back of similar protests and so should be particularly sensitive to the need to protect protesters' rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," Pillay said.

CORRECTED (OFFICIAL)-Egypt must protect peaceful protesters - Pillay

(Corrects story after UN releases corrected statement without reference to prosecuting government members)

GENEVA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Egypt's government must protect peaceful protesters and prosecute anyone inciting violence, including politicians, U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay said on Thursday.

"People have the right to protest peacefully and they have the right not to be killed or injured for doing so. The current government came to power on the back of similar protests and so should be particularly sensitive to the need to protect protesters' rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," Pillay said.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Egyptian President Mursi: I feel responsible for riots by Egyptian citizens

Egyptian President Mursi (via translation): While we respect the right of freedom of expression...I cannot tolerate that any person perpetrate any killing or vandalism.

Mursi: Some detained have direct links with those who are associate themselves with political parties

Egyptian opposition alliance is still assessing President Mursi's offer of national dialogue - spokesman

Main Egypt opposition group rejects dialogue with Mursi

CAIRO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Egypt's main opposition coalition said on Friday it would not take part in a dialogue proposed by President Mohamed Mursi to end a crisis sparked by the Islamist leader's decision to expand his powers, a senior member of the group said.

"The National Salvation Front is not taking part in the dialogue, that is the official stance," said Ahmed Said, one of the leading members of the coalition who also heads the liberal Free Egyptians Party.

Prominent reformist Mohamed ElBaradei had also urged political forces to shun dialogue on his Twitter account and the state news agency reported that the liberal Wafd party said it would not take part. Both are members of the Front.