Egypt president orders parliament back

CAIRO -- The Islamist president fired the first volley in his war with the powerful generals yesterday, calling on the Islamist-dominated parliament to reconvene in defiance of a military decree dissolving the legislature on the basis of a ruling by Egypt's highest court.

A week into his presidency, Mohammed Morsi's decree could plunge Egypt into a new bout of instability, nearly 17 months after the ouster of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak by a popular uprising and the start of a transition period defined more by turmoil than the freedom that followed 30 years of authoritarian rule.

His decree called for new parliamentary elections within 60 days of the adoption of a new constitution, which is not expected before late this year.

In the first sign of an imminent crisis, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the formal name of the body grouping the top generals, held an "emergency meeting" shortly after Morsi's decree was announced by the official news agency.

In a separate report, the Supreme Constitutional Court, the tribunal that dissolved the legislature last month, will meet today to discuss Morsi's decision.

Brotherhood leaders welcomed Morsi's decision, but the country's leading pro-reform campaigner, Nobel Peace Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, said it undermined the country's judicial authority.

Morsi's decree came only hours after he met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who gave him a message from President Barack Obama that assured him of America's commitment to a "new partnership" with Egypt. Obama also invited Morsi for talks in the White House in September, according to state television. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to travel to Egypt later this month.