Cairo, Feb 3 (DPA) Egypt's newly appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman said Wednesday evening he would not speak with the opposition until Egyptian protesters stop demonstrations and return to their homes.

"The request by President (Hosni) Mubarak to open dialogue with opposition will not continue until protesters stop and leave the Egyptian streets to return to normalcy, which will enable us to continue and succeed in a dialogue under favourable conditions," Suleiman told state media.

His statement comes as thousands of anti-Mubarak protesters and pro-government demonstrators clashed earlier in Cairo's main Tahrir square, with the health minister reporting that more than 600 people were injured.

The pro-Mubarak demonstrators were accused of being plain-clothed security officers. Some of the protesters for Mubarak came on horses and were armed with sticks, guns and knives to try to move out the anti-Mubarak protesters who have vowed to stay in Tahrir Square until he steps down.

Meanwhile, the army was still working to guard the nearby Egyptian Museum, which holds more than 120,000 artifacts. Cairo residents had formed a human chain around the museum to protect it from looters before the army was called.