Egypt army sets 48 hour deadline for people\'s demands

Egyptian soldiers deployed close to the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip Egypt\'s armed forces warned on Monday that it will intervene if the people\'s demands are not met within 48 hours, after millions took to the streets to demand the resignation of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
In a statement read out on state television, the armed forces reiterated its \"call that the demands of the people be met and gives (all parties) 48 hours, as a last chance, to take responsibility for the historic circumstances the country is going through.\"
\"If the demands of the people are not met in this period, the armed forces will announce a future roadmap and measures to oversee its implementation,\" the statement said.
On June 23, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Defence Minister and Armed Forces Chief, warned that the military will intervene to prevent unrest in the country.
Egypt is deeply divided between Morsi\'s Islamist supporters and a broad-based opposition.
The army had given all parties one week to reconcile their differences.
\"This week, there has been no sign of gestures or acts,\" the army said.
\"Wasting more time will lead only to more division which we have warned and continue to warn against,\" the army said.
It said the implementation of its roadmap would happen \"with the participation of all factions and national trends, including the youth, which was and continues to (take) the glorious revolution (forward).\"
In Tahrir Square, thousands of anti-Morsi protesters erupted in joy after the statement.
\"Come down Sissi, Morsi is not my president,\" the protesters chanted.
The statement comes as Egypt\'s opposition on Monday give Morsi a day to quit or \"face civil disobedience.\"
\"We give Mohammed Morsi until 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) on Tuesday July 2 to leave power, allowing state institutions to prepare for early presidential elections,\" the Tamarod movement said in a statement on its website.
Otherwise, \"Tuesday, 5:00 pm will be the beginning of a complete civil disobedience campaign.\"
The health ministry said 16 people died in nationwide protests, including eight in clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi outside the Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood movement from which he hails.
Source: AFP