Cairo, Feb 6 (PTI) : The campaign against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak took a decisive turn today as the regime and opposition groups including the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood agreed to form a committee to study constitutional reform to chart a way towards a transition of power. 

Egypt's opposition groups and the ruling regime entered into landmark negotiations today that came after 13 days of unrelenting street protests by Egyptians seeking an end to Mubarak's 30-year rule and a move towards a representative government.
The first day of talks resulted in an agreement over a the setting up of a committee comprising political and judicial figures to study possible constitutional amendments on putting term limits for the presidential tenures and defining rules for who can run for the presidency, according to the state media.

However, there is so far no confirmation on this from the opposition camp.This is the first time that Egypt's ruling regime has entered into any kind of negotiations with the Brotherhood which has a vast organisational network in the country and is widely expected to fill the political space in a post-Mubarak democratic Egypt.

The committee has been asked to finish its task by the first week of March following which the future course of action will be decided.

However, so far there appears to be no indication that Mubarak would step down immediately as demanded by the thousands of protesters who have been camping at Cairo's Tahrir Square.

The opposition groups met Vice President Omar Suleiman to press for their "legitimate demands", even as central Cairo remained flooded with demonstrators who observed a 'Day of Martyrs' to honour those killed in the anti-government unrest.

The landmark talks aimed at bringing a peaceful end to the mass uprising came a day after the top leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party resigned en masse.
The top executive of the NDP, which includes Mubarak's son Gamal Mubarak who is head of the powerful policies committee, resigned from the party.

According to the Brotherhood's website, group's senior leaders began the talks, demanding an immediate elimination of Emergency Law and guarantees for peaceful protests.

"We are starting a round of talks to know how serious they are about responding to the demands of the people," said Brotherhood spokesman Gamal Abul Nasser.Brotherhood, which is officially banned in Egypt but enjoys popular support, said it would drop out if demands expressed by the protesters that President Mubarak must step down is not met.