President Mohamed Morsi rejects Egypt army's ultimatum, as ministers resign But in a statement issued at nearly 2am, fully nine hours after General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi delighted Mr Morsi's opponents by effectively ordering the president to heed the demands of demonstrators, the president insisted he would stay the course. "The president of the republic was not consulted about the statement issued by the armed forces," the statement said. The presidency sees that some of the statements in it carry meanings that could cause confusion in the complex national environment. Official video was released showing Mr Morsi meeting the uniformed Sisi. Their body language seemed awkward, although it was unclear when it was shot. The statement from Mr Morsi's office continued, "The presidency confirms that it is Morsi on its previously plotted path to promote comprehensive national reconciliation ... regardless of any statements that deepen divisions between citizens." Describing civilian rule as a great gain from the revolution of 2011, Egypt's first freely elected leader, in office for just a year, said he would not let the clock be turned back. But in referring to his plans for reconciliation as those he had spelt out before, he was speaking of offers that have already been rejected by the opposition, leaving it improbable that such compromises would bear fruit before Sisi's deadline. Mr Morsi also spoke to U.S. President Barack Obama by phone on Monday, the presidency said in a separate statement. Mr Morsi stressed that Egypt was moving forward with a peaceful democratic transition based on the law and constitution, it said. The sense of disintegration in the administration has been heightened by the resignations tendered by the ministers, who are not members of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. Attacks on Brotherhood offices have added to feelings among Islamists that they are under siege. Some Brotherhood leaders, who swept a series of votes last year, said they would look to put their own supporters on the streets. After the destruction of the Brotherhood's headquarters in a battle overnight on Monday in which eight people were killed, the possibility of wider violence seems real. Edited by Steve Wilson and Hannah Strange for telegraph.co.uk