Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has said he was not consulted by the army about a statement, giving him 48 hours to find a solution for the political crisis that has gripped the country.
"The presidency asserts that the presidency is going on in its pre-planned path to hold a comprehensive national reconciliation," said a statement by the president’s office.
The president's statement also said that the ultimatum "may cause confusion in the complex national scene".
The army issued another statement, designed to reassure that it “does not aspire to rule and will not overstep its prescribed role".