Egypt's opposition Muslim Brotherhood has agreed to start talks with the Egyptian authorities to discuss the public's right to protest safely and the departure of embattled President Hosni Mubarak.

The talks between the leadership of Egypt's banned movement and Vice President Omar Suleiman are to begin on Sunday. The Muslim Brotherhood had earlier refused to hold a dialogue with the Egyptian officials as Mubarak still remains in office.

The statement comes after the top leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic party announced its decision to resign on Saturday.

The Muslim Brotherhood movement said earlier this week it has no plans to put forward a candidate to stand in presidential elections set for September.

The deeply conservative Islamic movement has been under the spotlight amid mass anti-government protests in Egypt, which broke out on January 25. The disorder has already claimed the lives of up to 300 people, with another 5,000 reported injured.

A number of observers have voiced concern that the movement could eventually take power in Egypt.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which wants to move Egypt from secularism and return to the rules of the Quran, failed to win a single seat in the 2010 Egyptian parliamentary election.