CAIRO - Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has started a meeting with national and political forces at the presidential palace in Cairo to find a way out of the ongoing crisis, political figure Ayman Nour's office told Xinhua Saturday afternoon.

The meeting, which started two hours later than scheduled, includes head of Ghad al-Thawra (Future of Revolution) Party Ayman Nour, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyib, head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party Saad al-Katatni, head of Al-Wasat (Moderation) Aboul-Ala Mady, former presidential candidate Mohamed Slaeem al-Awwa and other Islamist and liberal figures.

Nour told Xinhua that he had responded to the president's invitation to dialogue, along with three other parties: Al-Wasat, Al-Hadara and Al-Adl. He noted that the four-party initiative aims to reach a compromise among various forces.

Morsi issued a constitutional declaration on November 22, expanding his powers and making all his decrees issued since he came into office final and above judicial appeal, which triggered waves of protests nationwide and recent deadly clashes between his opponents and supporters.

In an attempt to end the turmoil, Morsi delivered a speech Thursday evening inviting opposition for dialogue, but the initiative was declined by the main opposition bloc named "the National Salvation Front" led by former diplomat and liberal politician Mohamed ElBaradei and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa.