Mursi rebuffs ultimatum

EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has rejected an army ultimatum for him to end political strife in the country - saying he would follow his own path to reconciliation with demonstrators occupying the streets of Cairo.

Mursi made the statement hours after the head of Egypt's army - General Sisi - gave Mursi 48 hours to compromise with the demands of demonstrators or face military intervention.

Mursi said the army never consulted him before making the demands and said that he would continue to move forward on his own path.

For anti-Mursi demonstrators in front of the presidential palace, news of the ultimatum was reason to rejoice.

It's a comforting message that the Brotherhood will leave in 48 hours, actually, now 40 hours, this man said.

But for supporters of Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood party, who maintain he was democratically elected, the statement is tantamount to a coup.

48 hours to meet people's demands, wh