The Egyptian Popular Current has laid down a number of conditions for its participation in proposed national dialogue talks.

The National Defence Council (NDC), which is headed by President Mohamed Morsi and includes key military and police leaders, on Saturday called for a national dialogue.

The current's three conditions are:

1. The violence and bloodshed must end.

2. The authorities must accept responsibility for the bloodshed.

3. The dialogue must give priority to issues of social justice, economic issues, addressing the people's daily problems and resolving the current political deadlock.

The current said it welcomed calls for a national dialogue but only if it has "an agenda that is known to all concerned parties, sessions are held publicly, and guarantees are provided for what is agreed on."

It condemned last December's national dialogue with President Morsi as a "dictator dialogue."

The NDC did not address the economic and political causes for the recent protests, the current added.

In addition, it criticised platitudes by the presidency about press freedom, pointing to the intimidation of media figures by "a group that adopts religion as a political slogan."

The NDC might consider declaring a state of emergency in some areas due to recent violent clashes, Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud said on Saturday.