The General Command of the Egyptian army addressed the public, announcing carrying out a future roadmap unless the public demands were met within 48 hours.

As millions of the Egyptians protested across several provinces demanding that President Mohammad Mursi resign, attention was driven to the stance of the army to end the current crisis.

The General Command of the Egyptian army addressed the public, announcing that the army would impose its own road map for the country unless the public demands were met within 48 hours.

In a statement read out on state television, chief-of-staff General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said: "If the demands of the people are not realized within the defined period, it will be incumbent upon (the armed forces) ... to announce a road map for the future".

The people had expressed their will with unprecedented clarity in the mass demonstrations, he said, and wasting more time would only increase the danger of division and strife.

The army said it would oversee the implementation of the roadmap it sought "with the participation of all factions and national parties, including young people", but it would not get directly involved in politics or government.

The announcement came in response to pleas from government opponents, who had asked the country's influential military to intervene on its behalf.

In Tahrir Square, thousands of anti-Morsi protesters erupted in joy after the statement.

Mursi's office later said the president met Sisi and Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, releasing a picture of them seated together smiling, but did not respond to the military statement.